< Previous© Shutterstock / Hywit Dimyadi28-31_Layout 1 05/12/2017 13:07 Page 3INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYPharma Business International 31www.pbiforum.netIt’s not just the US where things are goingpoorly, however. In the EU, the same year-on-year price increases in drugs has courtedcontroversy, and has led to the suggestion thatthe EU will repeal the SPC (SupplementaryProtection Certificate) mechanism for medicalproducts. The SPC helped to protect and extendmonopoly rights for originator pharmaceuticalcompanies, an impressive and valuable tool forintellectual property – and yet it seems that thegreed of the few may soon turn the EU againstthe many. As a result, several groups andagencies, including Oxfam, MSF and EATG,have sent an open letter to the Commissionrecommending them to abolish the SPCmechanism and improve transparency. In times past the sector might have been ableto call on support from the public over whatmay mean an influx of pretender drugs to themarket if the SPC mechanism is revoked.However, media highlighting of the price-increase strategies of some (including but notlimited to Martin Shkreli) have turned much ofthe public against pharmaceutical giants as well.It is not a good period for pharmaceuticalcompanies from a legal or ethical point of view,and when it comes to intellectual property it isworth remembering that those who write thelaws are the ones companies should feel mostinclined to court and woo. Short-term profitstrategies that come at a potential risk to thelong-term survival of the industry are not theway forward. It is a technique that was triedbefore by British Banks, and everyone is awareof how that ended.© Shutterstock / Hywit Dimyadi28-31_Layout 1 05/12/2017 13:07 Page 4Thursday 14 – Friday 15DecemberGeneric Biosimilars 2017Holiday Inn Rome Aurelia, Italy Generic Biosimilars 2017 conveys recentdevelopments in generic drug marketing,production and contract manufacturing.Attendees can expect to meet board level andsenior agents from across pharmaceuticalorganisations. For more information, emailgenericpharma@conferenceseries.net.Monday 22 – Thursday 25January 2018Cell & Gene TherapyWorldHyatt Regency, Miami This is the world’s only whole ecosystempartnering event for the cell and gene therapyindustry. With past attendees including abbvie,AstraZeneca and Pfizer, this event is a majorhighlight in the industry’s calendar and isdefinitely not to be missed. For moreinformation, visitwww.cellandgenetherapyworld.com.PharmaEVENTSWednesday 7 – Thursday 8February 2018Pharmapack Europe 2018Paris ExpoAs Europe’s dedicated pharmaceuticalpackaging and drug delivery event, Pharmapackis the industry’s go-to place to kick-off the year.Join 411 and 5,290 attendees for two days ofexhibition floor, conferences and innovationbrowsing and get an update on the latest trendsdevelopments and regulations impacting theindustry. For more information, visitwww.pharmapackeurope.com.© Shutterstock / phugunfireMonday 9 – Wednesday 11April 2018NanoMed 2018 Amsterdam, theNetherlandsThe main theme and guiding light forthis conference is ‘Emerging Importantof Nanotechnology to Drive the PharmaIndustry’. This is a unique platform tomeet fellow key decision marker andglobal experts to share experience,kickstart collaborations through theresearch talks and presentations to putforward thought-provoking strategies.It’s a perfect stage to brainstorm,discover new ideas, search for newskills and a platform to show yourcapabilities and discoveries to theworld. For more information, emailnanomed@annualconferences.org.32Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net© Shutterstock / 2p2playday event which promises to provide a multi-channel communication platform that bringstogether both producers and consumers of thegeneric pharma sector. It includes keynotepresentations, oral talks, poster presentationsand exhibitions. It is a perfect platform forresearchers, scientists and delegates to shareexperience, foster collaborations acrossindustry and academia and evaluate emergingtechnologies across the globe. For moreinformation, emailpharmaindustry@pharmaceuticalconferences.org.Thursday 15 – Friday 16 February201813th Annual BiomarkersCongressManchester, EnglandOver 300 delegates representing leadingbiotech companies, global pharmaorganisations and internationally renownedacademic institutions are expected to attendthis year’s Annual Biomarkers Congress. Newfor 2018 is a workshop taking place on thesecond day which delves into the scientific andregulatory considerations in biomarkers. Formore information, visit www.biomarkers-congress.com.Monday 26 – Tuesday 27February 2018Pharmaceutical Sciencesand Innovation in PharmaIndustryPark Inn by Radisson LondonHeathrowThis conference is a specially organised two-32-33_Layout 1 05/12/2017 13:08 Page 1Tuesday 13 – Wednesday 14March 2018MakingPharmaceuticals EuropeBrussels Expo, Belgium Meet key pharmaceutical decisionmakers at Europe’s most comprehensivepharmaceutical event. This free-to-attendexhibition features companies that arefundamental to every stage of the lifecycleof a pharmaceutical product. It coversmajor topics and issues facing theindustry in Europe, and offers pharmaprofessionals the change to meet,network and find new business partners.For more information,www.makingpharma.eu.Monday 19 – Wednesday 21March 2018Pharmaceutica 2018Golden Tulip Berlin – HotelHamburg, GermanyWith over 200 participants expectedand more than nine keynote speakers, thewww.pbiforum.netPharma Business International 33© Shutterstock / Syda Productions16th International Conference andExhibition on Pharmaceutics & NovelDrug Delivery Systems (or Pharmaceutica2018) is definitely not one to be missed. Itcovers various aspects including pre-formulation right through to deliverysystems and everything in between. Formore information, emailpharmaceutica@pharmaceuticalconference.org.Monday 16 – Tuesday 17April 2016Chemistry in DrugDiscovery & Designing JW Marriott Hotel Dubai, AbuDhabi Aimed at director, group leaders andresearchers, this insightful event in Dubaipromises to create an environment ofscientific excellence. The programincludes presentations, talks and keynotesessions all unified with the theme of‘Novel Strategies and Technologies forDrug Discovery and Medicinal Chemistry’.For more information, emaildrugdesign@pharmaceuticalconferences.org.Friday 30 – Saturday 31 March 2018Clinical Pharmacy and PublicHealthHoliday Inn Orlando Airport, Florida This conference is made up of an exciting andinformative programme of keynote speakers, plenarylectures, symposia, workshops of a variety of topics,poster presentations and various training programmes forparticipants from all over the world covering all the latestaspects of clinical pharmacy. For more information, visitclinicalpharmacy@conferencesamerica.org.32-33_Layout 1 05/12/2017 13:08 Page 2FEATURESALS ExposéCollaborationTraceability PackagingHuman Resources Research Next issue:Deadline - 31st January 2018REGULARSNewsEventsPharmaBUSINESS INTERNATIONALVisit us atwww.pbiforum.netwhere you’ll find thelatest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to ournewsletters so you can have thelatest news emailed to yourinbox, in betweenprinted issues?@pbiforumwww.pbiforum.netcompany/po-business-international34_Layout 1 05/12/2017 13:09 Page 1Next >