Gleevec-Glivec

Gleevec (also marketed as Glivec) is a breakthrough cancer medication developed by Novartis. It is primarily used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and certain other cancers by targeting specific proteins that drive cancer cell growth.

The drug became the subject of a landmark legal dispute in India, where Novartis sought patent protection for a modified form of imatinib. Indian authorities rejected the application under Section 3(d) of the Indian Patent Act, which aims to prevent “evergreening” by requiring enhanced therapeutic efficacy for new forms of known substances.

The case ultimately reached the Supreme Court of India, which in 2013 upheld the rejection of the patent. The Court ruled that the modified version did not demonstrate sufficient improvement in efficacy to qualify for patent protection.

This decision became a globally significant precedent, balancing patent protection with public health considerations and access to affordable medicines, particularly in developing countries.

Resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imatinib