Established in Vietnam in 2008, Novartis has become a trusted partner of the government in supporting the domestic healthcare system through long-term and comprehensive cooperation programmes. Novartis Vietnam focuses on key therapeutic areas including cardiovascular, immunology, oncology and gene therapy.

In early 2015, Novartis discovered a company in Binh Duong province had been producing a drug that infringed on its Vildagliptin patent. After nearly eight years of litigation, in October last year, Novartis was granted victory by the High People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City, successfully securing its patent for Vildagliptin in the Vietnamese market. The defendant was required to publicly apologise and compensate for the infringement.

The judgement has set an important precedent for pharmaceutical patent protection in Vietnam, helping similar cases to be resolved fairly and transparently. Moreover, it has also boosted confidence in the improving business environment and offers encouragement to investors to fund research and innovation in Vietnam.

"Protecting intellectual property rights is a crucial condition for companies to confidently invest in product research and development," said Karina Ng, country president of Novartis Vietnam. “The Vietnamese court made a fair ruling protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Novartis, and we expect relevant parties to comply. This will improve investor confidence in Vietnam, especially regarding challenging medical issues.”

Over the past year, with the enactment of the amended Law on Intellectual Property, Vietnam's intellectual property legal system has met practical requirements as well as commitments in new-generation Free Trade Agreements like the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

"We greatly appreciate the continued efforts of the Vietnamese government to strengthen intellectual property rights protection," said Le Xuan Loc, a representative of T&G Law firm LLC. "A fair and transparent intellectual property law will establish a healthy business environment, thereby encouraging businesses to invest here."

Private companies also play a vital role in ensuring a sustainable business environment. With long-term commitments to development and investment in Vietnam, Novartis conducts ethical and responsible business activities, maintaining its efforts to create breakthroughs for community health.