U.K. plans to ease patent restrictions for innovator trials

The U.K.'s Intellectual Property Office proposed on Wednesday to provide the same level of protection against patent infringement suits to companies running U.K. trials of novel drugs as it does to those testing generics. The proposal would amend a section of the European Patents Act of 1977 that covers the use of a patented drug as an active comparator or as part of a drug combination in a clinical trial of another product. The law prevents the patent owner from suing a company that uses the drug in a trial for a generic, but provides no protection to companies running trials of novel drugs. Comments are due Dec. 19. ...