Amazon files trademarks for its pharmacy business in overseas markets

Tech giant Amazon may be looking to expand its prescription drug delivery business outside the U.S.

Amazon has filed trademark applications for Amazon Pharmacy in more than a dozen international markets including Mexico, Canada, Australia, and the U.K., PillPack spokesperson Jacquelyn Miller confirmed to FierceHealthcare on Wednesday.

The international trademark filings were first reported by CNBC on Tuesday.

In addition to those four markets, Amazon has filed trademarks in Brazil, EU, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Singapore, China, Japan, Taiwan, India, and Israel, Miller said.

"We are always considering ways to delight customers in every market we serve. At present, our focus is on growing PillPack and offering a better pharmacy experience for customers in the United States," Miller said in a statement.

Amazon bought online pharmacy PillPack in 2018. The full-service pharmacy offers presorted packaging and home delivery and provides Amazon with a nationwide distribution network. PillPack holds mail-order pharmacy licenses in all 50 states.

RELATED: Amazon’s acquisition of online pharmacy PillPack spooks retail stores 

In November the company changed its branding to PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy.

Amazon filed for the patent on Jan. 9, according to a filing on the Canadian Intellectual Property Office website. The status is listed as pre-formalized.

The trademark lists pharmaceuticals, medical and veterinary preparations as well as surgical, medical and dental instruments and medical and pharmacy services, including hygienic and beauty care.

The Canadian trademark also lists computer software for online shopping and computer software for facilitating payments and online transactions.

Similar trademark filings also appear on the website for IP Australia and the U.K.’s intellectual property office and were filed Jan. 9.

International expansion of Amazon's pharmacy business is likely not imminent, but the filings suggest Amazon will eventually go global, CNBC's Chrissy Farr reported.

Along with delivering medications to consumers' homes, Amazon also has dabbled in introducing prescription medications to its marketplace in Japan with the support of local partners, according to CNBC.

RELATED: Mounting battle between Amazon's PillPack and Surescripts over access to patient data

When tech giant Amazon acquired PillPack last year, it was considered a shot at the traditional drug supply chain. 

The company's move into the pharmacy space has caused friction with legacy companies in the space including Surescripts and CVS Health. 

Surescripts has attempted to shut PillPack off from access to patient medication data. Surescripts is owned by competitors CVS Health and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) Express Scripts.

But PillPack also has gained some new partnerships. In December, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts announced it will integrate Amazon’s PillPack into its member app, making it the first health plan to offer this type of direct integration with the online pharmacy.