Strategies for IPR Protection in Russian Pharmaceutical Industry: Evidence from the Analysis of Patent Information

Problems and aspects of intellectual property protection in the pharmaceutical industry are attracting more attention of scientists and politicians. Taking into account the global challenges facing by society in the health sector, research and development in the field of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry is extremely important for study. Today, when the average length of the output of new medicines on the market takes from 7 to 15 years, pharmaceutical companies are looking for ways to maximize their profits while providing society essential drugs. Russia has recently embarked the path of harmonization of pharmaceutical industry regulations, especially in matters of compliance with international standards of development and production of medicines. The main program in the field of development and promotion of medical and pharmaceutical industries became Pharma 2020, aimed at ensuring investment in the development and manufacture of domestic medicines. One of the primary objectives stated is import substitution, when domestic products should be submitted to the Russian market in the ratio of 90% by 2020. Corresponding to the context of the state Program the task in front of this study arises: to determine the methods of intellectual property protection of domestic pharmaceutical companies. What forms of IP, in principle, develop our pharmaceutical companies, and how they protect it? Based on the analysis of patent information (in this case we mean both applications for inventions and patents, as well as trademarks, registered in the field of pharmaceuticals) results will be presented showing presumed basic strategies of our companies to protect IP. This question is very important with regard to national safety and independent positions of emergence, development and commercialization of innovative medicines.