IPR Filings Rise Following Biodiversity Law Reforms, Says NBA

The increase reflects a growing convergence between biodiversity, scientific research, innovation, and industrial development, supported by a more streamlined and clearly defined regulatory framework governing access to biological resources and associated traditional knowledge. Under the amended provisions, applicants covered under Section 7 are required to obtain a Certificate of Registration (CoR) from the NBA prior to seeking IPR, including patents, based on biological resources originating in India. This requirement has strengthened compliance, transparency, and accountability, while ensuring adherence to principles of conservation and equitable benefit sharing. The revised framework has also simplified procedures by introducing a registration-based system with clearer approval pathways. Between April 2024 and March 2025, the NBA received around 857 IPR applications and issued 792 CoRs. This number increased in the subsequent period, with 1,077 applications received and 885 CoRs issued between April 2025 and March 2026, indicating a sustained upward trend. Applications have been filed across a diverse set of sectors, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food sciences, agrochemicals, microbiology, biomedical engineering, and textiles, highlighting the expanding relevance of biological resources in innovation-driven industries. The reforms are seen as facilitating ease of doing research and business, while ensuring that access to biological resources remains regulated within a transparent framework that balances innovation with conservation priorities and fair benefit sharing. (KNN Bureau)