Page 8 - Mass General Brigham - Innovators Guide 1.1

8 INNO V AT O RS GUIDE | M ASS GENERAL BRIGH AM

1
Defining the

1 innovation pathway

Innovation and invention continued Commercialization process
Consider a new drug. It results from an invention and it is almost always The path from research to commercial product can be long and complex. It
protected by a patent. But by itself, the invention is typically only a takes many experts to successfully develop new treatments, therapeutics
chemical entity. It’s what was done with that entity — its demonstration of and diagnostics. It can also take many, often iterative, development steps
clinical benefit and its incorporation into therapeutic products, treatments for an industry partner to develop an innovation into a product. Some
and even processes and services that constitutes an innovation. innovations reach the market more quickly than others depending on
These points are important in commercialization as both invention and many variables.
innovation can result in commercial outcomes. Also, while these terms The first step is the inventive insight which may occur anywhere in the
somewhat overlap, they are not interchangeable.
System and be made by any employee. Historically, the most acted on of
Generally speaking, the path forward from an invention is well established these occur in the lab while some are derived from providing care or even
and is described in detail in this guide. Achieving a commercial outcome from administrative operations.
from an innovation can be complex as it may not be as discrete or have The next step, known as an invention disclosure, is a written description
the protection that a patent provides. Also, importantly, there are many of an expected novel device, method, composition etc. This critical
innovations external to Mass General Brigham that may be brought into the documentation step initiates the process to protect and preserve rights
System to improve care or administrative efficiency, for example, and that for the inventor and the institution. The Invention Disclosure Form (IDF) is
can be enhanced by Mass General Brigham staff and frequently add to its described in more detail in Section 5.
commercial value.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office describes an inventor as “one who
contributes to the conception of an invention.” The invention is defined by
the novel claims that it gives rise to, so an inventor must have contributed
Bayh-Dole Act | The U.S. Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 to what is that is claimed by the disclosure. All contributors to the invention
allows institutions to own the rights to should be listed in the Invention Disclosure, including affiliated labs.
Innovation staff work with inventors to determine who should be listed in
discoveries resulting from federally funded the patent application. All IP discovered during employment and activities
research, provided they work to actively supported by Mass General Brigham and its entities are owned in whole or
commercialize the technology. in part by Mass General Brigham and its entities.