Is the Poultry Productivity Enhancer protected by patents?
A. Yes, two separate patents apply to the product a patent over the vector and the cytokine gene (chicken interferon gamma). Patents provide a monopoly for the vaccine in the major markets of US, Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. The patent has been allowed in Europe and awaits approval in Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands. Patent applications are waiting formal patent granting in Mexico.Importantly, with Merial as the commercialising entity, the vaccine has the ability to quickly secure a dominant market share in non-patented jurisdictions thereby reducing encroachment by generic producers.
