Why MedTech Innovators Should Prioritise Registered Design Protection

In the MedTech sector, innovation is often associated with patents, clinical data, and regulatory approvals. Yet some of the most commercially valuable aspects of a medical device are not purely technical. The shape of a handheld diagnostic tool, the layout of a user interface, or the distinctive look of a wearable sensor can be just as critical to market success as the underlying technology. Design Registrations can be used to protect the appearance of a product, including its shape, contours, colours, texture, materials, and ornamentation. In the MedTech context, this can cover many things, including medical device housings, wearable devices, graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and screen layouts and packaging for medical products.

Registered design protection offers MedTech companies a powerful and often under-utilised way to protect these aspects. Following the significant reforms to the EU design legislation that took effect in May 2025, registered designs have become even more attractive, flexible, and cost-effective for MedTech businesses operating in Europe. Key changes to the UK Designs protection system are also under consideration following a major Consultation in 2025, which may also offer benefits to MedTech businesses in due course.

Why Registered Designs Matter for MedTech Companies

1. Protecting Market Differentiation in a Crowded Sector

MedTech markets are increasingly competitive, with fast-moving product cycles and global manufacturing. Distinctive design features are frequently targeted by competitors and therefore it is crucial to be able to protect product differentiation (even if some technical features of the product are standardised), and to be able to stop competitors from using the product’s design (and similar designs) irrespective of whether or not they copied it.

2. A Strong Complement to Patents and Trademarks

Design protection fills a critical gap in IP portfolios. Whilst patents protect the technical aspects of a product and trade marks protect the brand associated with the product, Registered designs protect the visual innovation of the product in an efficient and cost-effective way.

3. Faster, Clearer Enforcement

Registered designs provide a presumption of validity and ownership, and are more straightforward to enforce than unregistered rights. Design applications usually proceed to Registration very quickly (assuming that deferred publication is not requested), meaning they can be enforced quickly.   For MedTech companies managing compliance-heavy supply chains, clear, enforceable rights reduce risk and uncertainty.

The May 2025 EU Design Reforms: A Game Changer for MedTech

From 1 May 2025, the EU’s reformed design regime introduced several important changes aimed at modernising and simplifying design protection. One of the most significant changes for MedTech companies is the removal of the “same Locarno class” requirement for multiple design applications. Under the “old” system, if an Applicant wanted to file a multiple EU Design application, all designs had to fall within the same Locarno classification. For MedTech companies, this often meant separate applications for device hardware, software interfaces, and accessories; increasing filing costs associated with filing multiple, separate application in each Locarno classification.

Under the new Reforms, a single EU design application can now include up to 50 designs, even if they belong to different Locarno classes. This offers significant cost savings for MedTech companies in particular, as MedTech products often span multiple categories, such as the medical device (hardware) itself, a mobile app or device interface, and any associated disposables or charging docks for example. All of these different products can now be included in a single Design application, which reduces costs as compared to filing separate applications for each, and simplifies Design portfolio management to provide greater clarity and a reduced administrative burden for MedTech IP and product teams.

Additional Benefits of the 2025 EU Design Reforms

Beyond multi-class filings, the Reforms introduce other advantages relevant to MedTech companies, including an expanded scope of protection for digital and non-physical designs which makes it easier to protect visual aspects of software-driven medical devices and connected health platforms such as animated graphic user interfaces (GUIs), screen transitions and digital dashboards. The Reforms also strengthen enforcement rights against more modern forms of infringement such as those involving 3D printing and digital design replication, which is particularly beneficial for MedTech companies concerned about rapid copying of their designs.

Practical Steps for MedTech Companies

1. Audit Design Assets Early

Identify visual elements across devices, software, and accessories that contribute to market differentiation, ideally before public disclosure or regulatory submission.

2. Use Multiple Design Applications Strategically

In the UK, a single Registered Design application can contain multiple designs that fall within the same Locarno classification, meaning that protection for several designs (in the same Locarno classification) can be obtained at a reduced cost as compared to filing separate applications. In Europe, a single Registered Design application can contain multiple design applications irrespective of their Locarno classifications so can be used to obtain protection for numerous products, even across different product categories, to maximise cost efficiency.

3. Integrate Design Rights into Product Launch Planning

Registered designs are fast to obtain and can be filed alongside regulatory and commercial milestones.

4. Align with Broader IP Strategy

Design protection works best when coordinated with patents, trademarks, and contractual protections, where possible.

Conclusion

For MedTech companies, Registered Design protection is no longer a “nice-to-have”. It is a commercially strategic tool that protects innovation where patents and trademarks cannot. The May 2025 EU design reforms in particular significantly enhances the value of design rights by making them more flexible, cost-effective, and aligned with modern MedTech product ecosystems. Companies that adapt their IP strategies to take advantage of these changes will be better positioned to protect innovation, deter copying, and maximise the commercial return on design-led differentiation.

[The information above is simplified and is not a definitive statement of the law or practice.]

This article was written by Senior Patent Attorney Joanne Meredith