Peru monitors maca patent applications

By Francisco Espinosa Bellido

In the last two months three patent applications involving the Peruvian Ginseng or maca have been requested at China, South Korea and Poland, warned Andrés Valladolid, president of the National Commission Against Biopiracy.

"At this moment we are studying a new patent application in Poland. In this particular case we haven´t yet took actions because the patent is in Polish and we need to translate it" said Valladolid to El Comercio newspaper.

Once the translation is fulfilled the Commision will likely prepare the grounds for an opposition proceeding, hoping to have a similar outcome as in a recent case with a South Korean patent application. “Fortunately that case did not transcend because the application was denied", added Valladolid.

The Peruvian Ginseng or maca is a plant native to the high Andes of Peru used as a root vegetable, a medicinal herb and a supposed aphrodisiac. The National Commission Against Biopiracy has recently inaugurate a technological tool which improves search, analysis and monitoring of patents worldwide, helping Peru detect possible cases of biopiracy.