Competitive against giants: Nycomed, Denmark

Nycomed, Denmark, is a pharmaceutical company with a history of over 130 years. But its intellectual property strategy is anything but dated. Competing against pharmaceutical giants, Nycomed cannot afford to stumble in protecting its IP.

Recognising that patent management is a key to its success, the company involves a team of internal IP specialists, external patent attorneys and representatives from many of its departments in an annual review of its intellectual property rights. How the company deals with IP problems and how it protects its new products is spelled out in a patent policy approved by the CEO, Håkan Björklund. Nycomed’s experience shows how a well thought-out and executed IP strategy can keep a relatively small company competitive in a market dominated by much larger competitors. “Our patent strategy today is very much linked to our business strategy,” explains Aase Helles, who leads Nycomed’s intellectual property rights group. “We treat our patents like money.”

Source: EPO