What do you do if you're asked about intellectual property in a biotechnology interview?

Patents are the most relevant kind of intellectual property for the biotechnology industry. Know the basics about patentability. Remember, for an invention to be patentable, it must be patent eligible subject matter, useful, novel, and non-obvious. Familiarize yourself with patent databases like Google Patents, which give you access to patent literature from all over the world. It's also good practice to keep up with patent developments in your field and refrain from disclosing confidential information during interviews regarding your current or past company's developments.

As a biotech professional most often than not it is important to understand what to disclose and what not to disclose. For example, to show some of the cell culture trends a common practice is to erase all scales because it allows you to convey the message, but does not specifically mention what the other company is doing. This shows that not only you know what you are talking about, but also that you are protective of your employer's information.

Commencing with a clear delineation of patentable subject matter within biotechnology establishes a solid groundwork for addressing intellectual property matters within the sector. Recognizing the criteria for patent eligibility is essential in biotechnology. Notably, innovations that qualify for patents in this domain can encompass a variety of discoveries, including new products, distinct processes, or inventive applications of existing products. It is important to note that many biotechnological innovations combine elements of both products and processes. For instance, a patent might encompass both a novel therapeutic substance (product) and the methodology for its synthesis or administration (process).

Patents thus play a key role in the biotechnology world, not only protecting innovation but also supporting the research and development ecosystem. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that patents can serve as a bridge for collaboration between academia and industry. Through patent licensing, universities and research institutes can transfer their discoveries to biotechnology companies, which in turn can develop and commercialize new products. Not only does this further innovation, but it also supports research through licensing revenues, which is an important source of funding for many research organizations.

Biotech IP can be an incredibly complex topic, but often times the most salient points can be distilled into analogies or higher-level examples which are easier to retain. Since most professionals in biotech are not IP attorneys specifically, they key is to understand the core concepts and how they relate to the science and business of the company, as they are all interdependent parts.

There is a meaningful ethical component to Biotech IP. On the one hand, patent protection is vital to incentivize innovation which has delivered so many health benefits to us all. At the same time, ensuring a fair and transparent transition process is important in biotech because when a drug becomes generic, prices decline substantially, usually by up to 90%. Striking the right balance is important so that the right time of productive innovation remains incentivized in the long term.