Between The Scheldt And The Meuse

When navigating the already-choppy river of patent prosecution, it is always disconcerting to see white water ahead. For researchers developing new classes of drugs there are, unfortunately, a number of regions which seem to contain more than their fair share of rapids. One of these is the massive entity known as the European Union.

Biologics (derived from the term 'biological drugs') are a relatively new class of medical compounds and treatments manufactured from, or by, living systems. Common examples of biologics include antibody-based vaccines or medicaments, fusion proteins, protein drugs, and gene therapies. Biologics include existing blockbuster drugs such as Humira, Remicade, Rituxan, Enbrel and Lantus. The biologics market, although already huge by any standards, is estimated to grow to over $400 billion by the 2020s.