Intellectual property trade secrets

Trade secret protection is probably the weakest of all intellectual property rights. The US Uniform Trade Secret Act defines a trade secret as information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program device, method, technique, or process, that (1) derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use and (2) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy [33]. 

Another form of intellectual property protection important to biotechnology and pharmacogenomics is trade secrets. Trade secret law serves to protect... 

Barriers to Imitation How is the idea protected from imitation by competitors Is it protected by intellectual property law through patent, copyright, or trademark If not, is it difficult to imitate by its nature How so Is it difficult to reverse engineer Is it protected as a trade secret Are there unique, exclusive sources of components or other supplies Are unique labor inputs required to develop, maintain, support, and extend the product or service ... 

There are three main types of intellectual property that are relevant to the R D Manager in a chemical or pharmaceutical company. These are inventions in the form of Patents, the company Trademarks, and Trade Secrets, often called Know-How. 

The most difficult intellectual property to protect is that of a trade secret, or know how , which is specific to that business. Know-how is often immediately exploitable information, for instance manufacturing process details or the constitution of mixtures, which when obtained avoids the need to carry out the more time consuming and expensive aspects of R D. 

There exist countless publications about the general as well as specific culture conditions of bacteria and, in particular, actinomycetes used to produce secondary metabolites. One of the best introductions to the field of fermentation is provided by the Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology published in 1999 with Demain and Davies as the editors in chief.68 Countless scientific publications, e.g. The Journal of Antibiotics, give excellent additional information on the subject, but it should be noted that industrial processes for high-value products are usually not published in detail and are kept as company intellectual property or trade secrets. 

Patents belong to class of property that is referred to as intellectual property. Intellectual property also includes trade secrets, trademarks, registered designs, and copyrights. 

Bouchoux DE. Protecting Your Company s Intellectual Property A Practical Guide to Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, Trade Secrets. American Management Association, 2001. 

With the intense competition and the turmoil in the United States due to downsizing and restructuring of companies, intellectual property may walk out the door. What a company knows has become as important as what it produces [6]. Intangible and invisible assets such as knowledge, competence of employees, information systems, and intellectual property (e.g., patent details, trade secrets, customer lists) do not show up on the bottom line but are as valuable as... 

Intellectual property is the branch of law that protects and, indeed, encourages the creation of certain products of the human mind or intellect. This chapter is intended to provide a basic understanding and appreciation of intellectual property law, especially as it relates to patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, in the United States and, to a lesser extent, in the remainder of the world (1).Issues and concerns particularly related to the drug discovery and development process are emphasized. 

Currently, the protection afforded trade secrets in Mexico is relatively limited and weak. The situation is likely to change because of the recent adoption of NAFTA. NAFTA, covering the United States, Canada, and Mexico, requires each country, at a minimum, to provide "adequate and effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, specifically including trade secret rights. The actual effect of NAFTA must, of course, await its actual implementation in the member countries. 

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