GlaxoSmithKline plc: analysis of patenting 1998 – 2001

Abstract

This article complements earlier (1998) reviews of the patenting policies of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham and highlights the considerable differences in patenting strategy between the two companies. It compares the patenting activity across each major therapeutic area with the company’s 2001 revenues from these therapeutic areas. This highlights how both companies’ patenting policies provide a similar spread across therapeutic areas, heavily focused on the areas from which the company derives most of its revenues. Two notable features are the weakness of both companies efforts in the cardiovascular field, commensurate with the small cardiovascular franchise and the extensive portfolio of genomically-based patents developed by SmithKline Beecham, which contrasts to the insignificant patenting efforts of Glaxo Wellcome in the same context.

• patent analysis
• pharmaceutical industry