Protection for Health and Innovation
Medical technology improves quality of life and often saves lives. But before a product is ready for market, medical technology companies invest significant development costs and innovative effort. Without patent protection, these investments do not pay off, as other market participants can benefit from the invention – entirely legally and without any effort of their own.
Technical IP rights such as patents help you prevent this. Through skilful drafting, the scope of protection of a medical technology patent can be designed so that it also covers future applications of your invention. For example, the novel lattice structure of a cerebral stent could also work in a coronary stent. A patent that covers more than one application is particularly valuable.
Medical technology is often characterised by inventions spanning several technical fields. A common example is the combination of computer technology and mechanical engineering. Patent protection is possible not only for the machine itself but also for the software that controls it. In such cases, it makes sense for the patent application to cover computer technology and mechanical engineering simultaneously, or in other cases also electrical engineering, physics, or chemistry.
Our patent attorneys, with their varied technical and scientific backgrounds, work together to optimally structure the patent application for your medical technology product.
Securing a technological edge in international competition is becoming increasingly difficult. Medical technology companies must offer their products in global markets. Patent protection for innovative core medical technology products should not stop at the borders of the original market. Rather, it is important to extend a medical technology patent territorially so that it provides protection wherever needed, while keeping costs within reasonable limits. Not every medical technology patent needs to be enforced abroad, but the deterrent effect of patents in foreign markets should not be underestimated in highly competitive market segments.
