I-MAK's Quest To Trim The Biopharmaceutical Patent Thicket

By Ben Comer, Chief Editor, Life Science Leader

How long should a new drug be protected against lower- cost generic or biosimilar competitors? Established patent law provides an answer, and mechanisms exist in the U.S. to challenge patents believed to be invalid, unduly broad, obvious, or otherwise problematic. However, members of the American public — commonly known as patients, caregivers, and others without a direct business interest at stake — do not have meaningful channels for challenging patents that effectively determine drug access and affordability, a situation that the Initiative for Medicines, Access, and Knowledge (I-MAK) is fighting to change.