successful brand building for biotech and pharma products
TRANSCRIPT
Successful brand building for biotech and
pharma products
Sahlgrenska Science Park, frukostworkshop
Bergenstråhle & Partners
8 April 2016
20 November 2008:
“GlaxoSmithKline
acquire Alvedon and
Nezeril from
AstraZeneca for
1 770 million SEK”
Agenda
Introduction
Johan and Andreas
Bergenstråhle & Partners
Intellectual asset management
Brands, trademarks and strategy
Patents and trademarks
Bergenstråhle & Partners
Technology
and patentsIP law
Design and
trademarks
Strategy
consulting
=
Intellectual Asset Management
20 November 2008:
“GlaxoSmithKline
acquires Alvedon and
Nezeril from
AstraZeneca for
1 770 million SEK”
Patent supports brand building
• Patents protect inventions
– Protection lasts for 20 years from filing
Product life: indefinite
Patent protection: 20 yrs
Brand protection: indefinite while in use
BRANDS – IN PRACTICE
Brands
• A brand is not a trademark
• A brand is not a logo
• A brand is not a product
• A brand is not a design
• A brand is not a person
• A brand is not an identity
Brands
What is a brand?
• A brand is a persons gut feeling about a product,
service or organization.
• Because brands are defined by individuals, not
by companies, markets or publics.
• It is a gut feeling since individuals are emotional
intuitive beings.
Brands
• A brand is not what YOU say it is…
• It is what THEY say it is!
Brand examples
Brand example
Brand building
• Start by defining your brand
– Who are you?______________
– What do you do? ______________
– Why does it matter? ______________
Consistency is key
Brand structure
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKlein
Patents have long expired – so what
did they acquire?
20 November 2008:
“GlaxoSmithKline
acquires Alvedon and
Nezeril from
AstraZeneca for
1 770 million SEK”
GlaxoSmithKline
• Nezeril protected as a
trademark since 1967
• Alvedon protected as a
trademark since 1948
GlaxoSmithKline
Alvedon:
500mg
20 pills
33 SEK
1,65 SEK/pill
Paracetamol
Orifarm:
500mg
20 pills
12 SEK
0,60 SEK/pill
275%
Choosing a name
• Distinctiveness
• Brevity
• Appropriateness
• Easy spelling and pronunciation
• Likeability
• Extendibility
• Protectability
Define the generic term to avoid
degeneration of the mark
• If the product introduces a new category on the market,
there is a big risk of that the mark becomes the common
name for the product type.
– Jeep, elevator, tomtom, rollerblades, thermos
• To preempt this you should consider to create a generic
descriptor to describe the product type.
– All terrain vehicle, lift, personal navigation device, inline skates,
vacuum flask
• You should also monitor the general use of the mark,
internally and externally
Reasons why companies
register trademarks?
• Clearance – making sure you can
use/register the mark
• Preventing others from use
• Franchising (Licensing)
• Marketing benefits
Trademark - example
Word mark: COCA-COLA, H&M, SPOTIFY, Kinnarps
Figurative/logotype:
3D-trademark:
Control
• Protecting a brand by registration
– What can/should you register?
– TO DO before registering a trademark
• Managing your trademark portfolio
– Oppositions
– Infringements
• Managing your trademark usage (and how
others use your trademarks!)
Trademark clearance
Multicorp.
• Since trademarks is a national right you have to have a
registered trademark in every country where you want to use
your trademark or prevent someone else from using you
trademark.
• Trademark clearance is therefore a relatively complicated and
complex process but is very critical to do BEFORE you launch
your product.
Registering the trademark
• Classification
– 45 different classes (goods and services)
– Costs
• Where to register?
– Sweden – (PRV)
– EU – (EUIPO – former OHIM)
– Elsewhere (madrid protocoll via WIPO or
national filings)
Trademark watches and
oppositions
• Important to monitor other trademark filings
– When you have a registered trademark it is common
to monitor other similar trademarks. This is because
the trademark authorities does not always object to
registration of “similar marks”
• Filing oppositions against other trademarks
– Argue for a likelihood of confusion
• Similarity of the signs
• Similarity of goods and services
• Use requirements (argument or risk)
European Medicines Agency• Läkemedelslagen (2015:315)
• Läkemedelsförordningen
• Läkemedelsverkets föreskrifter om marknadsföring av humanläkemedel (LVFS
2009:6)
• Not allowed to market:– Unauthorized drugs
– Towards children
– Prescription drugs
• §6 All advertising of medicinal products to the public should include at least the
following information: – the name and the current (ie generic) name if the product contains only one active ingredient.
– The information needed for the drug to be used on properly.
– An express, legible invitation to read carefully the instructions on the package leaflet or, if applicable, the
outer package.
Key takeaways
• Manage your intellectual assets AS assets
• Decide your brand
• Trademark clearance
– Right to use: Competitors & marketing law
– Right to register: Absolute/relative hinders
• Manage your rights
• Consistent communication
Brand strategy assessment
• Exclusive to the participants of this seminar and
members at Sahlgrenska Science Park we offer a
Brand Strategy Assessment
• Meeting to review and assess current brand(s) and
strategy
• Specific recommendations to strengthen control and
consistency in use
• Get in touch via [email protected]
Prices excluding VAT and subject to our General terms
Thank you!
20 November 2030:
“GlaxoSmithKline acquires
[INSERT YOUR NAME]
for
1 770 million SEK”
