Partner and patent attorney at intellectual property firm, Withers & Rogers, Dr Nicholas Jones, discusses why drug companies should continue to pursue new medical patents in the future, despite recent examples of legal disputes.
News that Pfizer has lost its final appeal in the battle to maintain patent protection for the second medical use of one of its best-selling drugs, means innovators could find it more difficult to secure and enforce exclusive rights to market such treatments in the future. Whilst this is a set-back, drug companies should not be put off from pursuing new medical use patents in the future.