India foils UK Company’s bid to patent its traditional knowledge for treating hair loss

India has foiled UK based company Pangaea Laboratories Limited’s bid to patent use of pine bark, turmeric and tea for treating hair loss. India was able to protect its traditional knowledge after Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), a unit of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) had filed pre-grant opposition against UK based company along with prior-art evidences using these 3 natural ingredients. In February 2011, Pangaea Laboratories Limited had filed patent application at European Patent office (EPO) on a medicinal composition for treating hair loss which mainly contained pine bark, turmeric and green tea. It should be noted in Indian systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Unani, it has been proved that above three natural ingredients are being used as a treatment for hair loss, since ancient times. Till date TKDL under the aegis of CSIR has achieved success in protecting India’s traditional knowledge in about 200 such cases without any cost. Earlier, TKDL also had foiled an attempt of Colgate-Palmolive Company to patent a mouthwash formula containing herb extract from Nutmeg- Jayaphal which is traditionally used in India as medicine to cure oral diseases.