Camurus AB is a Swedish pharmaceutical company with an innovative drug delivery platform technology used to deliver pharmaceutical agents over extended periods.  Camurus transferred their patent work to Dehns 10 years ago, at a time when the company was expanding its development activities and its patent portfolio.

During the intervening period, Dehns have assisted Camurus, who have no in-house patent specialists, in forming an IP protection strategy and building up a portfolio of 20 families of patents and applications covering both their core "platform" technology and more specific product leads.  This is a strategy designed to both protect their new technology and products and allow licensing to larger companies in specific product areas without sacrificing overall control of the company's core IP assets.

The nature of Camurus as a drug delivery company utilising a relatively sophisticated and unique technology to produce innovative products of interest to many larger pharmaceutical companies places considerable demands on the drafting, prosecution and also strategic aspects of the Camurus work.  Dehns were able to assist in both the immediate and longer-term by building a long-standing "pseudo in-house" relationship in which Dehns associate Chris Goddard has worked closely with Camurus scientists and management for the whole of their 10-year association with the firm.  This has allowed a much greater understanding of the Camurus technology and business and also allowed Chris to assist Camurus in turn to gain a greater understanding of patent prosecution and strategy.

The above strategy was vindicated this month when it was announced that Camurus signed a major option and licensing agreement with Novartis Pharma AG to develop a potential core Novartis anti-cancer product.  This agreement, was based upon the Camurus’ innovative FluidCrystal® Injection depot technology and a portfolio of multiple patent families, of which the great majority were drafted and prosecuted through Chris and his assistant Catherine at Dehns.  If exercised then the option would leave Camurus eligible for payments in excess of $700,000,000 subject to achievement of predefined development, regulatory and commercial milestones for the various products of the agreement.  In addition, Camurus is entitled to running royalties on global product sales.