EPO launches new platform to help researchers in the fight against coronavirus

Munich, 6 July 2020 – The European Patent Office (EPO) has published a new, expanding “Fighting coronavirus” platform designed to help researchers and decision-makers benefit from patent information in their fight against the new coronavirus. The first data sets released on this platform concerns antiviral vaccines and pharmaceutical therapeutics, with more resources to be released in the coming weeks covering, for example, diagnostics and medical technologies and devices.

“Businesses which make intensive use of intellectual property rights helped pull us through the 2008 crisis and we strongly believe innovation will help drive Europe’s recovery from the impact of COVID-19” said EPO President António Campinos. “They’re more resilient to economic shocks. IPR intensive industries generate 45% of the EU's GDP and account for one in three jobs. So it’s crucial we give IPR-intensive industries all the support they need right now.”

EPO patent examiners and analysts who are experts in these technologies have created a variety of search statements to help scientists and decision-makers identify the most relevant documents and innovations in these technical fields.

These search strategies are especially suited to run on the EPO’s free to use online patent search interface: Espacenet. This public database contains more than 120 million documents from more than 100 intellectual property authorities around the world.

For applicants who require a fast track patent procedure, regardless of the technology they are developing, the EPO offers accelerated prosecution of European patent applications.

For more information, visit: https://www.epo.org/news-events/in-focus/fighting-coronavirus.html

Media contacts European Patent Office

Luis Berenguer Giménez

Principal Director Communication

Rainer Osterwalder

Press spokesperson

EPO press desk

Tel.: +49 89 2399 1820

Mobile: +49 163 8399527

press@epo.org

About the EPO

With nearly 7 000 staff, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 44 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching.