The Imperative of Protecting Life Sciences Innovation in the TPP

With negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) fast coming to a conclusion, it is imperative that the U.S. fight to preserve strong intellectual property protections that encourage innovation in life sciences—and the most important requirement should be 12 years of data exclusivity protection for novel biologic drugs. This report analyzes the critical role of IP rights in life sciences innovation, assesses the potential economic impact of the TPP, and argues it will not generate the benefits we seek unless strong IP protections are a centerpiece.