PIUG MONTHLY Calendar - November 18th, 2026

FREE PIUG India Training Seminar

Live Event Open to the Public

Wednesday November 18^th at 7:30 IST (9 AM EST)

Strategic Two-Pronged Approach to

Freedom to Operate (FTO) for Complex Formulations

Harita S Achanta - Director, Marketing & HR

SciTech Patent Art Services Pvt. Ltd.

Conducting Freedom to Operate (FTO) analyses is a critical milestone of a product development cycle. Given the sensitive nature of such analyses where the full product formulation needs to be reviewed and searched, companies are often sensitive to outsourcing such search needs. However, when there are frequent new product launches or when internal resources are limited, the need to outsource such searches is high. IP or R&D professionals, in such situations, face a strategic dilemma of how to conduct exhaustive patent clearances externally without compromising sensitive technical know-how or overextending budgets. 

This presentation outlines a well demonstrated, two-pronged methodology for conducting FTO searches on client-defined formulations, while effectively balancing confidentiality and cost, in order to overcome enforcement barriers.

We contrast two distinct strategies for FTO:

1.    The Complete Formulation Search:

This comprehensive approach, used when confidentiality constraints are minimal, yields a highly refined set of probable blocking patents suitable for direct decision-making.

2.    The Isolated Ingredient Search:

When confidentiality is critical, the formulation is deconstructed and searched by individual ingredients, while the final synthesis of results is performed by the client.

Attendees will gain insights into the specific query structures, and outcomes associated with each approach. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped to select the most appropriate approach based on their budgetary constraints, and the sensitivity of their chemical or biological innovations.

BIOGRAPHY

Harita S. Achanta is the Director of Marketing at SciTech Patent Art, a global intellectual property research and analytics firm. In this role, she leads the firm’s marketing initiatives, helping to position and communicate the firm’s patent analytics and IP services to a diverse international client base.

She holds a background in Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering, is a U.S. Registered Patent Agent and has an MBA. Harita has collaborated with multinational clients across industries and brings a practical, client-focused perspective on how organizations can leverage patent intelligence to stay ahead of emerging innovation trends.

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