#DDPEvent 2012: Koska on world heath and Intellictual Property

KEYNOTE: See a Need and Fill it: Innovative Ways to Uncover the Next Best Technology
Marc Koska, Inventor and Award Winning Humanitarian

There are 23 million cases of hepatitis and over 3 million doses of HIV delivered through dirty needles in the developing world. In India, 62% of injections are unsafe. In Pakistan, 70% of injections are unsafe and 90% are unnecessary. The reuse of syringes costs the world $119 Billion to the world.

Recycled syringes are worth money those operating in the market. Children make money from reselling the syringes on the market through repackaging, frequently for more money than they can be purchased form the pharmacy.  Koska challenges the developed world to find a way to protect those who don't know any better. He spent three years researching the whole process of syringes – production to use to government standards to learn everything he needed to know. His solution – a valve at the top of the syringe to automatically lock and break it after it's first use. The cost of the syringe is $.05, and the cost of a Coca Cola is $.50. Those purchasing syringes can afford it, should be educated to make the right decision. 

His organizations world wide, which can be seen here, are working to educate those around the world about this practice. He began this education in India. They made a short film and promoted it over five days in India. Through the five days, there were 720 million exposures. This worked, and in his meeting with the Heath Head of India, he mandated auto-disabled syringes throughout Public Healthcare in India.

CASE STUDY: Manage the IP from Early Stage to Commercial
David Azad, Galen Partners
Robert Jones, Acura Pharmaceuticals
Chris Halliday, Morgan Lewis

Five Points from the Panel:

1. Halliday:  IP is very critical to everything any employee does for their company.  The space of IP protection is so deep and technical, investors will find technical experts to confirm what they think. You can tell a lot about an investor by how deeply and intellectually they answer your questions. When it comes to budgets, IP is not an area where drug delivery companies want to cut corners.
2. Jones – Taking an idea to an innovation then add value to that idea. They also use IPs to assess the competitive landscape. Who is working in the space, and who has IP that may be a threat/useful to the company? In just thinking of new ways of doing business, they send it over to their lawyers to create that protection.
3. Azad: If your patent is covered, that’s your right to do something. It doesn’t necessarily protect you from someone getting to the same endpoint.
4. Halliday: Form an IP prospective, it’s important for a Pharma to be able to speak with them (the investors) on their level.
5. Jones: He suggests to find your company a good patent councilor. The guidance and expertise is invaluable. They get involved in the R&D Process, to improve and solidifying the IP. They give you the competitive assessment, They also expose possible vulnerabilities and possible solutions to solidify patent position and add value.