Patent Protection for Second Medical Uses

AIPPI Series, Volume Number 2.

The second edition of Patent Protection for Second Medical Uses is a practical guide on the ever-relevant and controversial topic ‘Second Medical Use’ (SMU) patents, which play a significant role in the potential second-line patent protection and have become increasingly important. This edition’s analysis sheds light on the availability of protection for second medical use claims and its legal basis, followed by a detailed look at the specifics of various jurisdictions. Following the abandoning of ‘Swiss-type claims’ at the European Patent Office (EPO), applicants had to develop new filing strategies while such claims are still allowable in a number of national jurisdictions worldwide; the consequences of this have not yet fully been explored in practice. Jurisdictions around the world show significant differences in the treatment of such claims, although they share common approaches in patent law overall. This second edition furnishes a detailed and elaborate analysis, providing clarity, insight and guidance on legal issues and practical implications of SMU claims in twenty-four jurisdictions (the EPO and twenty-three individual countries).

What’s in this book:
This book, published under the aegis of the esteemed International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), contains a chapter-wise analysis by carefully chosen authors known for their expertise and experience in this field. Each chapter highlights such issues and topics as the following:

• availability and scope of protection;
• validity of claims;
• enforcement;
• infringement and investigations; and
• procedural aspects and tactical recommendations.

The AIPPI studied certain aspects of second medical use claims on the occasion of its Congress in Toronto in 2014. This led to its Resolution Q 238 – ‘Second medical use and other second indication claims’, which triggered this comparative law analysis and a copy of which is found at the end of this book.

How this will help you:
This book is an enlightening compendium of contributions from across the globe. It not only renders guidance to interested legal practitioners when filing a patent application and assessing risks of conflict with existing patents or patent applications but also explains the key issues and contains practical advice when enforcing such claims or defending against an action. Also, this book will prove to be of immense practical interest for patent lawyers and patent attorneys and for the industries involved, applicants for pharmaceutical patents and third parties.