Brasília – The prolonged review of the patent for the anti-emetic drug Vonau Flash has exposed structural challenges in Brazil’s pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem. Researchers and industry experts say the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) took 13 years to grant the patent, meaning the product had only about seven years of effective market exclusivity before entering the public domain. This shortened protection undermined years of research and limited returns for the University of São Paulo (USP), which historically relied on royalties from the drug for reinvestment in new projects.

Observers argue the case illustrates a broader issue: long patent review times discourage both domestic research and foreign investment, as the costs and risks associated with drug development are high and require predictable intellectual property protection. Experts warn that without more efficient patent processing, innovation incentives for universities and laboratories may continue to weaken, potentially stalling scientific progress and economic returns from homegrown therapies.

Source: Panorama Farmacêutico