Search

Four States Ratify 2010 HNS Convention, Advancing Entry Into Force

Belgium, Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Sweden deposited their instruments of ratification to the 2010 HNS Convention on 14 April 2026, bringing the total to 12 Contracting States — meeting the number-of-States criterion for entry into force. The 2010 HNS Convention establishes a liability and compensation regime for damage caused by hazardous and noxious substances carried by sea, with total compensation capped at 250 million SDR (approximately USD $360 million) per event. Shipowners are held strictly liable, must maintain State-certified insurance, and an HNS Fund will pay compensation once shipowner liability is exhausted, financed by post-incident contributions from cargo receivers. The earliest possible entry-into-force date is 30 November 2027, pending confirmation after 31 May 2026 that the 40-million-tonne cargo threshold has been met.

Takeda Pharmaceutical - Implantable Cell Chamber Device, EP4120958A1

The European Patent Office granted Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Patent EP4120958A1 titled 'Implantable Cell Chamber Device and Uses Thereof,' published April 15, 2026. The patent application (filed by inventors LING, Vincent, IMAICHI, Sachiko, PHANEUF, Matthew, LONG, Nathaniel, KASSAB, Rayan, and ROBERTSON, Robbie James) covers technology related to implantable cell chamber devices and their therapeutic applications, with IPC classifications spanning prosthetics (A61F), biomedical materials (A61L), and therapeutic agents (A61P) including gastrointestinal applications. The patent is designated across 31 European member states including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Switzerland.

Antibody Drug Conjugates with Amatoxin Derivatives for Cancer Treatment

Vivasor, Inc. has been granted European Patent EP3471771A1 covering antibody drug conjugates using amatoxin derivatives as cytotoxic payloads for the treatment of cancer, with publication occurring on 15 April 2026. The patent application EP3471771 claims priority based on earlier filings and lists four named inventors: ZHU Tong, ZHANG Hong, KHASANOV Alisher, and CHEN Gang. The designation covers 32 European contracting states including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and others.

Samsung Activity Pattern System Patent, EP3545522A1, Published Apr 2026

The European Patent Office published patent application EP3545522A1, filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., titled 'Method for Providing Activity Information Related to Activity Pattern of User and Electronic Device.' The application covers systems and methods for tracking and providing user activity pattern information via an electronic device, classified under IPC G16H (Health Informatics). The patent designates all major European Contracting States including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Visuworks AI Patent EP4024401A1 for Vision Correction Surgery Recommendations

The European Patent Office published patent application EP4024401A1 for Visuworks, titled 'Vision Correction Surgery Recommendation Method and Apparatus.' The application covers AI-based methods (G06N 20/00) for recommending vision correction surgery, classified across healthcare (G16H), ophthalmology (A61B, A61F), and machine learning domains. The patent designates 31 European states including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

EP3463576A1 Phenolic TRPV1 Agonist Prodrugs for Local Anesthesia

The European Patent Office published application EP3463576A1 on April 15, 2026, covering prodrugs of phenolic TRPV1 agonists combined with local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors for improved local anesthesia. Applicant Concentric Analgesics, Inc. filed the application with inventors Donovan, John F. and Husfeld, Craig. The application designates 32 European states including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands under IPC classifications A61P 29/00 (analgesics) and A61P 35/00 (antineoplastic agents).

AI Object Recognition Labeling Data Collection Apparatus

The EPO published patent application EP2024063217A1 filed by Rendezvue Inc., covering apparatus and methods for automatically collecting AI object-recognition learning labeling data. The application includes IPC classifications for robotics (B25J), image processing (G06T), and machine learning (G06N 20/00). The application designates multiple European states including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

EP4426712A1 - Processable Compositions Patent

The European Patent Office published patent application EP4426712A1 filed by Ripple Therapeutics Corporation on April 8, 2026. The patent covers processable compositions including steroidal compounds and heterocyclic derivatives with potential therapeutic applications spanning cardiovascular treatments, glaucoma, and ocular hypertension. The designated contracting states cover all major European Economic Area nations including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Anonymous Interactive Display System with Extended Timeout Period

The European Patent Office published HeartFlow, Inc.'s European patent application EP3676853A1 for systems and methods generating anonymous interactive displays with extended timeout periods. The patent application (IPC G16H 40/60, G16H 10/60) covers health informatics technology for medical imaging diagnostics. The application designates 35 European states including Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Switzerland.