Bharat Biotech to Include ICMR as Co-Owner of Covaxin Patent
Bharat Biotech has announced that it will include the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as a co-owner of the patent for Covaxin, its Covid-19 vaccine. The company clarified that the omission of ICMR from the original patent application was unintentional and is currently being rectified.
Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL), based in Hyderabad, shared that they are preparing the necessary legal documents to amend the patent application. This reflects their respect and gratitude towards ICMR’s support.
Why the Omission Happened
Bharat Biotech explained that they were in a rush to develop the Covid-19 vaccine as quickly as possible to ensure early availability. Multiple challenges presented themselves during the development, and all groups were hurrying to develop vaccines and file patents before others or before any data was published in journals.
In a statement, Bharat Biotech mentioned that the BBIL-ICMR agreement copy is a confidential document and was not accessible at the time of the original application. As a result, ICMR was not included in the initial patent application. They emphasized that this was purely unintentional and such mistakes are not uncommon in the patent office, hence the provision in Patent Law to rectify such errors.
Steps to Correct the Mistake
BBIL has expressed great respect for ICMR and gratitude for their continuous support on various projects. As soon as the mistake was recognized, BBIL started the process of including ICMR as a co-owner of the patent applications for the Covid-19 vaccine.
According to their release, these actions align with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between ICMR-NIV Pune and BBIL in April 2020 for the joint development of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Legal Documentation in Progress
Bharat Biotech has assured that the necessary legal documents are being prepared and will be filed in the Patent office as soon as they are ready and signed. This amendment reflects the company's respect and appreciation for ICMR's invaluable contribution to the development of Covaxin.
In summary, Bharat Biotech is taking corrective measures to include ICMR as a co-owner of the Covaxin patent, acknowledging the crucial role ICMR played in the vaccine's development. The company is committed to ensuring proper legal procedures are followed to rectify the unintentional oversight.
