Wockhardt chief Habil Khorakiwala backs fast tracking of drug patents

New IPR policy unveiled last week aims to simplify and expedite patent application processes

Wockhardt chairperson Habil Khorakiwala wants the patent office to hasten the grant of patents for drugs and the framing of policies to encourage clinical research.

On Monday, he said it took six to eight years for securing a patent after filing of the application. Globally, the average is two to three years.

Till now, Wockhardt had filed 2,178 applications for patents in India and other countries. In India, it has been granted 75 patents till now; it has secured 327 outside India.

The new Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy, unveiled by the government last week, aims to simplify and expedite patent application processes.

Khorakiwala says it would bring more transparency and clarity on the existing provision to disallow ‘evergreening’ of patents.

A patent is granted for 20 years and companies do try to increase the term by making changes in the product before expiry.

Indian patent law administration has come under criticism, especially from the US but the government has emphasised that existing laws are compliant with World Trade Organization norms.

Khorakiwala also said the procedures followed by the Drugs Controller General of India were not friendly to companies keen to carry out clinical research in India. “We prefer carrying it out abroad,” he said.