Pharmaceutical patents are the backbone of the modern pharmaceutical industry. They allow drug developers to possess exclusive rights in their inventions for a limited period of time. That exclusivity drives innovation and is critically important to a pharmaceutical company’s return on investment.

Developing a new drug is risky and costly, with recent estimates ranging from $314 million to $2.8 billion. With so much at stake, it is imperative for pharmaceutical companies to secure patents on their drug products to prevent competitors from copying or selling them without permission. A patent safeguards a company’s goal of recouping substantial costs associated with the research, development, and clinical trials of new drugs.