Promomed has proposed to introduce horizontal control for biotechnologies

Promomed Group of Companies proposed to use mechanisms of mutual horizontal control in the field of biotechnology. Maria Porokhnya, Director of Intellectual Property at Promomed, made such an initiative at the session "Law and Biotechnology: from prohibitions to the architecture of responsibility" within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPIEF–2026), follows from the message of the pharmaceutical company.

The session participants noted that the field of engineering biology requires finding a balance between the necessary regulatory constraints and creating conditions for further development, the report says. According to the representative of Promomed Group, the current prohibitive regulations do not prevent the patenting of genetic technologies, and Rospatent interprets restrictions related to human cloning, commercial use of embryos and modification of the genetic integrity of the human germ line, based on the purpose of their introduction – to prevent unethical use. The company believes that this approach allows it to patent a wide range of developments, including IVF technologies, genetically modified animals, and individual genome editing methods.

Promomed's Director of Intellectual Property suggested using mutual horizontal control as an additional regulatory mechanism. It is assumed that such a step will allow market participants to independently adjust each other's behavior and maintain a balance between constraints and development. To do this, it will be necessary to create the necessary legal environment, and specific tools have yet to be developed, the expert noted. 

As an example of the implementation of the principle of horizontal control, the representative of Promomed Group cited the institute of compulsory licensing. According to her, the insufficient use of the patented technology by one market participant is compensated by the willingness of another to provide access to it in the public interest.

1. Vedomosti