Vietnamese Experts Stress Strategic IP Management to Commercialize Pharmaceutical Innovations

Pharmaceutical research in Vietnam holds significant promise, but experts warn that bringing inventions from the laboratory to the marketplace demands overcoming critical hurdles in intellectual property (IP) management and commercialization. Nguyen Hoang Giang, Deputy Director of the Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam, highlighted these challenges during a recent dialogue with scientists and administrators at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City.

Giang noted that while new policies promote IP activities and the commercial exploitation of IP rights, their effectiveness depends on universities, research institutes, and scientists proactively identifying, protecting, and planning to exploit intellectual assets from the outset of research projects.

This imperative is especially acute in pharmaceuticals, where the true value of research emerges only when transformed into products, processes, or solutions that contribute to disease prevention, treatment, and public health.

Nguyen Van Chinh, Vice Rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, underscored that pharmaceutical research must transcend academic achievements such as international publications or titles. Instead, research outcomes should generate sustainable socio-economic value and directly serve healthcare needs.

To achieve this, scientists require not only technical expertise but also a solid understanding of IP policies and laws, alongside skills in market potential assessment, IP valuation, partner identification, and commercialization negotiation.

Securing IP protection is merely the initial step. Behind a granted protection title lie critical questions: What market needs does the technology address? Is the market ready to adopt it? How should the IP’s value be assessed? Should commercialization proceed via licensing, transfer, or enterprise creation?

Nguyen Huu Can, Acting Director of the National Institute of Intellectual Property, explained that knowledge can be converted into socio-economic value through licensing, technology transfer, or spin-off enterprises. Each approach demands a tailored strategy from scientists and their institutions.

Without clarity on ownership rights, technology valuation, and exploitation plans, even promising inventions struggle to attract investment for development and market launch.

Valuation is a particularly complex stage. The value of IP rights depends not only on research quality but also on legal status, technical feasibility, market demand, and revenue potential.

Valuation firm V-Link advises that scientists prepare comprehensive data encompassing legal, technical, market, and financial aspects to facilitate accurate valuation and effective negotiations with commercial partners.

At the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, collaboration among the Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam, the Department of Science and Technology, and valuation experts has led to detailed reviews of several protected inventions slated for commercialization. This hands-on approach identifies specific gaps in technology dossiers, valuation capabilities, and market access strategies, moving beyond generic guidance.

The Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital exemplifies additional challenges. Despite numerous research findings and new products, the hospital lacks a robust IP protection and management strategy.

Do Tan Khoa, the hospital’s Director, emphasized the urgent need to prioritize IP protection, especially as the hospital engages with partners and markets its products.

In traditional medicine, research outputs often include remedies, processes, formulations, or products derived from practitioners’ expertise. Without timely identification and protection of these assets, research institutions risk difficulties in partnering with enterprises and commercializing innovations.

Experts stress that IP protection should begin during research and development, not after product completion. Early protection establishes rights and empowers scientists and institutions to negotiate proactively with partners.

Patent specialists recently advised the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital on preparing patent applications for four research results. This consultation also highlighted protecting the hospital’s distinctive intellectual assets created by its doctors and practitioners.