The first bilateral meeting between the European Patent Office and Medicines for Europe, representing the generic and biosimilar industry, took place on 16 October 2025 and marked the beginning of a more structured and continuous dialogue between the two organisations. The encounter laid the groundwork for closer collaboration on issues that directly affect the accessibility, competitiveness and sustainability of the European pharmaceutical ecosystem
The discussions primarily focused on the EPO’s approach to patent quality, examination standards and transparency in its procedures. Medicines for Europe, for its part, outlined the industry’s concerns regarding divisional applications and presented concrete examples of how certain practices impact market entry and innovation dynamics. The organisation also shared broader industry perspectives on how the patent framework could better support timely access to affordable medicines.
In addition, the EPO introduced several forthcoming studies from its Observatory on Patents and Technology that are highly relevant to the healthcare sector. These include new analyses on access to medicines, the intersection of artificial intelligence and pharmaceuticals, and emerging patent trends in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. The session thus served as an opportunity to align expectations, identify priority areas for future cooperation, and reinforce a shared commitment to a more transparent and efficient patent system for Europe’s healthcare landscape.