Pharmaceutical firms' use of secondary patents to extend periods of exclusivity generates concerns among policymakers worldwide. In response, some developing countries have introduced measures to curb the grant of these patents. While these measures have received considerable attention, there is...

In the pharmaceutical industry, firms frequently engage in licensing agreements to overcome innovation challenges and keep up with the pace of developing new drugs. Licensing helps firms jointly develop new drugs and acquire external knowledge, which helps improve their internal drug...

The COVID-19 crisis intensified decade-long debates on the interaction between intellectual property rights (IPRs), competition law and access to affordable life-saving treatments and vaccines. Compulsory licensing of patented medicines is a tried-and-tested method to expand access, particularly...

Harmonization of international intellectual property laws has been the object of considerable recent effort under both public international law and international trade law. The GATT Uruguay Round Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) resulted in significant steps...

India has a thriving pharmaceutical industry dedicated to providing healthcare at the lowest possible cost. India's growing pharmaceutical industry is based on reverse engineering of existing drugs rather than on innovative technology which gives a better leverage to the generic manufacturers in...

In 2002, a number of associations requested the Korean Patent Office to issue a compulsory license for the manufacture of Gleevec, a drug under Novartis' patent under the Korean patent provision which permits issue of compulsory licensing for public non-commercial use. This provision in the...

The patent system is built on the premise that patents provide an incentive for innovation by offering a limited monopoly to patentees. The inverse assumption that removing patent protection will hurt innovation has largely prevented the widespread use of compulsory licensing - the practice of...