Reflections on our IP life sciences seminar with De Clercq & Partners
On the 19th of September in Brussels, Agio Capital & Business Solutions joined hands with De Clerq & Partners, one of Europe’s leading intellectual property firms and renowned in the life sciences sector, to give a seminar on intellectual property protection in China.
Recent reforms to the Chinese IP system have resulted in a surge of patent applications and together with the market size, capital, and an increasingly aging, but wealthier population able to afford state-of-the-art healthcare, have made China a hotbed for overseas biopharma and medtech companies. In 2017, more than 1,3 million patent applications were filed with China’s state intellectual property office, greater than the combined filings that year in the US, Japan, South Korea and Europe.
With over 50 attendees on a workday afternoon, we were excited to welcome both Belgian and international speakers specialized in the intellectual property and China life sciences business space. Insightful talks were given on the key aspects and pitfalls of IP protection in China, its recent reforms and opportunities, followed afterwards by closing words on the future of IP in China and a cozy networking reception.
Several key takeaways on IP protection in China: