Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs)
are an Intellectual Property Right that serve as an extension to a patent
right. They apply to specific pharmaceutical and plant protection products that
have been authorised by regulatory authorities. SPCs aim to offset the loss of
patent protection for pharmaceutical and plant protection products that occurs
due to the compulsory lengthy testing and clinical trials these products require
prior to obtaining regulatory marketing approval.
An SPC can extend a patent right for a maximum
period of five years. A six-month additional extension is available in
accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006.
The local list of granted SPCs can be found here.
Redress or appeal:
Decisions of the office which
are open to redress or appeal must be sent on ipoffice@gov.mt or
in writing at:
Commerce Department, Industrial
Property Registration
Director Industrial Property
Registration
Lascaris Bastions,
Valletta VLT 1933, Malta
Disclaimer:
Unless otherwise indicated, the
information contained in this site is issued by the Industrial Property
Registrations Director within the Commerce Department at The Ministry for the
Economy, European Funds and Lands
Updated on:
Last updated on 31 May 2022.