This is a rundown of last week’s news updates on E-Commerce and Licensing
Amazon signs MoU with Gujarat
The e-commerce platform Amazon India signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Industries and Mines Department, Gujarat Government with a view to provide a global platform to the homegrown businesses. As per the MoU, Amazon India will conduct trainings/ workshops/ webinars etc. for exporters and MSME owners from key clusters like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Bharuch, and Rajkot. Amazon will share expertise regarding B2C e-commerce exports which will help the state-based businesses to grow further. “Gujarat has a vibrant gems and jewellery, apparels and textiles and handicraft sector which is held together by lakhs of MSMEs. One of our key priorities has been to boost exports from Gujarat and through this partnership with Amazon, we aim to empower lakhs of MSMEs in Gujarat to embrace e-commerce exports. It will help them leverage Amazon’s global presence to showcase their products to customers across the world”, stated Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Flipkart expands in Haryana
The e-commerce giant, Flipkart expanded its supply chain network in Haryana. Flipkart opened four new fulfilment and sortation centers in Haryana ahead of the upcoming festive season. The newly opened centers will help in providing support to thousands of sellers, MSME owners, kiranas and small farmers from the state and nearby areas. These centers will help cater to the growing customer demands and provide faster deliveries. This will also create various employment opportunities for all.
Government to adopt a ‘balanced’ approach on e-commerce rules
After receiving various suggestions from key stakeholders on the proposed Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules,2020, the Government has decided to take a balanced approach. The Government is aiming to protect the interests of both the consumers and other key parties through the amended Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules, 2020. “We have received a lot of suggestions. We will now have to come out with best formulations from the consumer perspective taking into account the wide and varied diverse views received on the draft rules,” Consumer Affairs Secretary Leena Nandan told reporters. “It would be difficult to give a timeline as many suggestions have come and all of them require deliberations and discussions. But it is certainly work in progress”, she said. “We are going into great detail on each provision of the rules as there are many wide views from both sides. It has to be calibrated and a balanced perspective has to be arrived at. We are in that process,” she added.
BNPL : the new flavor of the season
The BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) scheme has created a niche for itself amongst the consumers. With the festive season around the corner, various e-commerce platforms, banks and retailers have introduced BNPL for their customers. For eg. Amazon and Flipkart are offering a free credit period through the Buy Now, Pay Later option and are also giving cashbacks for availing this facility. However, all that glitters is not gold! Experts warn the public to be wary of such schemes and read all offer related conditions carefully before opting for such facilities. There is a possibility that the buyer may end up paying more than the original purchase cost of the product or service. Experts advise to opt for BNPL only if one is sure of paying the entire amount before the due date.
ProQR Therapeutics N.V. shakes hands with Eli Lily and Co.
ProQR Therapeutics with headquarters at Leiden, Netherlands has entered into a global licensing and research collaboration with Eli Lily and Co. with headquarters at Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Together they wish to focus on the discover and development of new medicines for various genetic disorders of the liver and nervous system. Both the companies plan to use ProQR’s Axiomer ® RNA editing platform to develop new drugs to commercialize. “RNA editing is an exciting emerging technology, which allows transient, reversible editing, which in some indications may be an extremely attractive therapeutic approach” said Andrew C. Adams, Ph.D., vice president for New Therapeutic Modalities at Lilly. “Through this collaboration with ProQR, we hope to utilize this technology to unlock novel treatments to improve the lives of patients across a spectrum of diseases.” “This partnership with Lilly, a leader in RNA therapeutics, is an important validation of our Axiomer® RNA editing platform, and expands the application of our technology beyond our core therapeutic area focus of genetic eye disease, to potentially benefit patients with metabolic and nervous system disorders.” said Daniel A. de Boer, Founder and CEO of ProQR. “Additionally, this partnership further strengthens our financial position.”
Adaptimmune Therapeutics and Genentech enter licensing deal
Adaptimmune Therapeutics Plc with headquarters at United Kingdom has entered into a strategic licensing agreement with Genentech, a member of Roche Group with headquarters at South San Francisco, California, United States. This is a strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize the allogeneic cell therapies to treat various oncology indicators. “We believe allogeneic cell therapies could be a game-changing approach for developing personalized therapy platforms based on individual cancer patients’ unique needs,” as stated by Dr. James Sabry , global head of Pharma Partnering, Roche. “This partnership, which combines Adaptimmune’s allogeneic platform with Genentech’s expertise in developing personalized therapies, complements our other efforts to discover and develop personalized cell therapies. It holds the promise to change how we treat cancer and brings us another step closer to making personalized healthcare a reality.”
This post has been authored by Lavanya Anand.
About the Author
This post is brought to you by the E-Commerce Law and Consulting/Strategy Divisions of BananaIP Counsels, a Top IP Firm in India. If you have any questions, or need any clarifications, please write to contact@bananaip.com with the subject: eCommerce News.
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