Recent Patents on Biotechnology - Volume 20, Issue 2, 2026

The Indian pharmaceutical industry took full advantage of the “process patent regime”. It aggressively pursued the expansion of its market share by offering the most reasonably priced generic versions of pharmaceuticals to emerging and developing nations. The Indian government remained neutral over the implementation of the TRIPS agreement until 2005. Indian pharmaceutical patent law is distinct from legislation in other nations in several ways, some of which are among the most critical intellectual property issues in the nation. Over the past thirty years, the lack of product patent protection has been a significant setback for the Indian pharmaceutical business. “Molecules” that were patented and protected internationally but which India failed to protect. The Act's ambiguity makes it common for opponents of pharmaceutical patents to file unreasonable serial pre-grant oppositions. In addition, the number of pre-grant opposition filings is surging exponentially. The potential for revocation, oppositions before and after the grant, and counterclaims in cases of infringement are just a few of the challenges that may arise during the process of a patent. The TRIPS Agreement compliance of the Indian patent system will be guaranteed by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2005, and the Patents (Amendment) Ordinance, 2004. Nonetheless, another notable accomplishment of the Ordinance and the Rules is the progressive change of the Indian patent prosecution system. In keeping with its international obligations, the Indian government is working to create a patent system that encourages technical development. Additionally, India is working to alleviate concerns about the inadequate enforcement of its current intellectual property rules.

Imidazole and 2-mercapto benzimidazole analogues are a group of molecules that have various biological activities and good therapeutic potential in the treatment of epilepsy. This review explores their dual role, focusing on their biological properties and anti-epileptic effects. A spectrum of biological activities is displayed by imidazole derivatives and 2- mercaptobenzimidazole, such as antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial actions, leading to their therapeutic flexibility apart from epilepsy treatment. Imidazole derivatives mechanistically modulate Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) receptors, inhibit ion channels, and exert neuroprotective effects, enabling them to be used for seizure control. Their mechanisms of action involve modulation of oxidative stress pathways as well as providing neuroprotective effects against epilepsy. In terms of structure, both imidazole and 2-mercaptobenzimidazole derivatives have gone through extensive structure-activity relationship studies to enhance their biological and pharmacological aspects. However, numerous concerns, such as bioavailability, selectivity, and side effects, hinder their effective application in the treatment of various diseases. Looking forward, further research into novel derivatives and patented formulation strategies holds promise for enhancing efficacy and reducing adverse effects. This review consolidates current knowledge, emphasizing the multifaceted roles of imidazole and 2-mercapto benzimidazole derivatives in biological systems and their potential as anti-epileptic agents, thus providing insights for future research and clinical applications.

Blockchain technology has drawn a lot of interest in the healthcare industry in recent years. Efficient data management is crucial for pharmacies. Blockchain technology is a novel technology that has the potential to make many pharmaceutical processes safer and more transparent. In 2013, the US Congress created the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) to prevent the distribution of stolen, contaminated, or counterfeit drugs. Blockchain technology serves as an answer to this problem as it enables the tracking and tracing the product from manufacturer to patient through an electronic, immutable, digitized tracking record of all steps from inventory to consumer in the drug supply chain. To ensure the safety of a peer-to-peer network of transactions, blockchain technology employs cryptographic methods to create a distributed ledger that is not centralized. Incorporating it into a product ensures its safety and marketability. Blockchain technology offers solutions to enhance the validity, reliability, and efficiency of medication manufacturing by facilitating easy compliance with legislation. Additionally, it offers an opportunity to address a major problem: the proliferation of counterfeit drugs that enter the system and ultimately reach consumers. The pharmaceutical industry's deficient supply chain management results in counterfeit and fake drug entering the supply chain and negatively affecting patients’ health, leading to serious complications or even death. Supply chain management may benefit from blockchain technology's transparency and immutability at every step of the process, which increases confidence, security, traceability, and transparency. Blockchain technology, designed to manage electronic data, holds promise for enhancing clarity. Every user of a computer network has access to the same immutable record of transactions known as a blockchain. Patent innovations have significant implications for pharmaceutical patent protection, supply chain transparency, and counterfeit prevention.

As the global population ages, the health of older adults has become a growing concern. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common ailment affecting older adults, but the diagnosis and treatment of AD are difficult given our insufficient understanding of the disease. This review article and patents aim to provide reliable information for patients and their families by presenting a detailed overview of the pathogenic factors, diagnostic methods, and clinical manifestation of AD, as well as advances in drug and physical therapies. The information presented here should help provide a more comprehensive understanding of AD for patients and their families and encourage family- or self-screening based on clinical manifestations, thus improving early AD detection. In addition, the current treatment methods for AD are summarized. Although a gold-standard treatment for AD is yet to be developed, controlled-release therapies and medications that slow disease progression or improve cognitive function are available. The appropriate treatment method depends on the patient’s diagnosis and the local medical level, and the effectiveness of the treatments may vary. Therefore, improving our understanding of AD and cognition-related symptoms in the public is necessary to improve early AD diagnoses. This review provides information that will facilitate self-screening for AD based on clinical manifestations, which can improve the early clinical diagnosis rate.