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Microsoft v. i4i Case: BIO Joins 260 Business, Research Institutions and Organizations to Urge Caution in

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BIO joined other stakeholders representing U.S. innovation in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to urge Attorney General Holder and Acting Solicitor General Katyal to proceed cautiously in developing the U.S. government&#39;s position in Microsoft v. i4i which was accepted for review by the Supreme Court. We are greatly concerned about the potentially negative consequences for domestic innovation, job growth, and U.S. technological leadership internationally.</p>

Re: Microsoft Corp. v. i4i L.P. and Infrastructures for Information Inc., pending in the United States Supreme Court, No. 10-290

Washington, D.C., December 22, 2010;
With 90 additional signatories, January 13, 2011

Dear Attorney General Holder,
Dear Acting Solicitor General Katyal:

On behalf of the 261 undersigned businesses, research institutions, technology startup companies and organizations representing American innovation from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, we are writing concerning the pending consideration of the Microsoft v. i4i appeal in the United States Supreme Court. We are greatly concerned that a reversal of the lower court’s decision in this case could seriously weaken the presumption of validity that attaches to millions of patents in force in the United States today, thereby undermining longstanding investment-backed reliance interests that are critical for domestic job creation and economic growth, and for U.S. technological leadership internationally.

The U.S. patent system is the strongest in the world. It promotes innovation by facilitating the investment necessary for small businesses to form and grow, and for more established businesses to continue competing and thriving in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. Our patent system helps ensure that the United States can continue to reap the benefit of innovation and advances in technology, which creates jobs and growth opportunities in every state and every sector of our economy.

Private investment in innovation, however, is predicated on the ability of businesses to rely on the strength and presumed validity of issued patents for product development, partnering, and licensing decisions. The public, likewise, has an expectation that patents that were examined and granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office confer valid rights that should be respected and on which it can rely. Accordingly, courts have required since long before the enactment of the 1952 Patent Act that those who seek to challenge a patent before a lay jury or generalist judge must carry a heightened burden of proof, under which the facts underlying the validity challenge must be proved to a high degree of probability, by “clear and convincing evidence.”

Permitting infringers to invalidate patents on a lower standard of evidence, as is now proposed in the Microsoft v. i4i case, could thus frustrate decades of settled expectations under which large investments were made in reliance on patents that were believed to carry a strong presumption of validity. Shifting the law to a weaker presumption of validity could also deeply affect the prospective investment and product development decisions of innovative businesses, affect public-private technology transfer, and profoundly change the behavior of patent applicants and litigants.

We believe this issue to be of critical importance for domestic innovation, job creation, and the Nation’s technological leadership internationally. Accordingly, we respectfully request you to carefully consider these implications as you develop any position that the United States Government may take on this important Supreme Court appeal. We also would urge you to seek input from a wide range of stakeholders across the U.S. economy and from within the U.S. Government to ensure that any such position will help preserve and promote innovation across the broad spectrum of the American economy.

We thank you for considering our views on this crucial matter, and we look forward to working with you in this regard.

Respectfully submitted,

3M Company
St. Paul, MN
Ace Vision Group Inc.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Acorda Therapeutics Inc.
Hawthorne, NY
Acorn Cardiovascular
New Brighton, MN
ActiveVideo Networks, Inc.
San Jose, CA
Acustream LLC
McLean, VA
Adams Capital Management, Inc.
Boston, MA
Advanced BioHealing
Westport, CT
Advanced System Technologies, Inc.
Oakland, CA
Aero Marine Co.
Port Townsend, WA
Alkermes
Waltham, MA
Allergan Inc.
Irvine, CA
Alliance for American Innovation
Washington, DC
Allvivo Vascular Inc.
Lake Forest, CA
Alpha Scientific Corp.
Malvern, PA
Amgen Inc.
Thousand Oaks, CA
American Innovators for Patent Reform
New York, NY
Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc.
San Diego, CA
Anatomic Research, Inc.
Arlington, VA
Antigenics
Lexington, MA
APJeT Inc.
Santa Fe, NM
Apnex Medical Inc.
St. Paul, MN
ArborGen
Charleston, SC
Articulinx
Cupertino, CA
Aspiration Innovation Inc.
Fort Collins, CO
Augme Technologies Inc.
New York, NY
Automotive Technologies International, Inc.
Denville, NJ
B&R Plastics Inc.
Denver, CO
BASF
Florham Park, NJ
Bavarian Nordic
Washington, DC
Bayer CropScience
Morristown, NJ
Bayer HealthCare
Morristown, NJ
Bi-Level Technologies
Encinitas, CA
BIOCOM
San Diego, CA
BioForward
Madison, WI
BioMarin
Novato, CA
Biomerix Corporation
Fremont, CA
Biotechnology Industry Organization Washington, DC
BlueCava Inc.
Irvine, CA
BP America Inc.
Houston, TX
Brain Basket, LLC
Boulder, CO
Brainstorm, LLC
Colorado Springs, CO
Calibra Medical, Inc.
Redwood City, CA
California Healthcare Institute
La Jolla, CA
Calypso Medical
Seattle, WA
Cardiovascular Systems Inc
Saint Paul, MN
Cargill Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
Celleration Inc.
Eden Prairie, MN
Center for Patent Policy
Washington, DC
Ceres
Thousand Oaks, CA
Cerevast Therapeutics Inc.
Redmond, WA
CHF Solutions Inc.
Brooklyn Park, MN
Chimerix Inc.
Durham, NC
Columbia Medical Manufacturing LLC
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Computrol Inc.
Golden, CO
Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc.
San Diego, CA
Conceptus Inc.
Mountain View, CA
CONNECT
San Diego, CA
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Cranbury, NJ
Corning Incorporated
Corning, NY
Curo Medical Inc.
Saratoga, CA
Cyberonics
Houston, TX
Cygnus Broadband
San Diego, CA
Delcath Systems Inc.
New York, NY
Design Mentor Inc.
Pelham, NH
Dolby Laboratories Inc.
San Francisco, CA
Dornet.net
Potomac, MD
DuPont
Wilmington, DE
Dynatronics
Salt Lake City, UT
Eagle Harbor Holdings, LLC
Bainbridge Island, WA
Eatoni Ergonomic, Inc.
New York, NY
Edison Innovations, Inc.
Santa Rosa, CA
Eisai Inc.
Teaneck, N.J
Element One Inc.
Boulder, CO
Eli Lilly and Co.
Indianapolis, IN
e-LYNXX Corp.
Chambersburg, PA
Emerson Analytics, LLC
Fort Collins, CO
EmpowerUs Tools Corp.
Fairport, NY
Essentialink.com, LLC
Westminster, CO
Essex Woodlands
Palo Alto, CA
ExploraMed Development LLC
Mountain View, CA
Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
San Diego, CA
Financial Healthcare Systems LLC Greenwood Village, CO
First Goal LLC
Severn, MD
ForSight Labs LLC
Menlo Park, CA
ForSight VISION4 Inc.
Menlo Park, CA
Forward Ventures
San Diego, CA
Front Range Oil and Gas LLC
Golden, CO
GearMax USA Ltd.
Ashland, VA
Genentech Inc.
San Francisco, CA
Gen-Probe Inc.
San Diego, CA
Genzyme Corporation
Cambridge, MA
General Compression, Inc.
Newton, MA
General Electric Co.
Fairfield, CT
General Nanotechnology LLC
Berkeley, CA
Geron Corporation
Menlo Park, CA
GlaxoSmithKline
Research Triangle Park, NC
Global Network Computers Co.
Arlington, VA
GlobeImmune, Inc.
Louisville CO
Grandis, Inc.
Milpitas, CA
GlycoMimetics Inc.
Gaithersburg, MD
Greatbatch
Clarence, NY
Heritage Woods Inc.
Alto, MI
High Peaks Materials LLC
Parker, CO
High Plains Well Service LLC
Centennial, CO
Human Genome Sciences
Rockville, MD
HUNT Dimming
Fort Collins, CO
Hydra Biosciences
Cambridge, MA
ICE Energy, Inc.
Windsor, Colorado
Ideation HQ, LLC
Baltimore, MD
Ikaria
Clinton, NJ
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Glenview, IL
ImmunoGen Inc.
Waltham, MA
Immunologix, Inc.
Charleston, SC
Inovadeas LLLP
Fort Collins, CO
Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Blue Bell, PA
InterDigital Communications LLC
King of Prussia, PA
International Heart Institute of Montana
Missoula, MT
InventorEd.org
Grand Blanc, MI
IP Checkups, Inc.
Berkeley, CA
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Carlsbad, CA
JBS Brainex, LLC
Colorado Springs, CO
Johnson & Johnson
New Brunswick, NJ
JSTranex, LLC
Colorado Springs, CO
KB Visions, Inc.
Palm Coast, FL
Keeton Industries
Wellington, CO
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals Inc.
New Haven, CT
L&T Riser LLC
Parker, CO
LAAx Inc.
Livermore, CA
Lateral Reservoir Stimulation LLC
Centennial, CO
Lauder Partners, LLC
Atherton, CA
LED Up Enterprises, Inc.
Agoura Hills, CA
Liberty Research Co.
Gonic, NH
Life Technologies
Carlsbad, CA
LifeScience Alley
St. Louis Park, MN
LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Bozeman, MT
Liquid Piston, Inc.
Bloomfield, CT
LiquidBreaker, LLC
Carlsbad, CA
LiquiLock LLC
Arvada, CO
Luminous Medical Inc.
Carlsbad, CA
Magsil Corp.
Santa Clara, CA
MannKind Corp.
Valencia, CA
Mardil Medical Inc.
Orono, MN
Marketcore, Inc.
Westport CT
Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC)
Boston, MA
Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA)
Washington, DC
MedTech
Syracuse, NY
MedVenture Associates
Emeryville, CA
Merck & Co Inc.
Whitehouse Station, NJ
Merial
Duluth, GA
Metabolex, Inc.
Hayward, CA
MichBIO
Ann Arbor, MI
Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Cambridge, MA
Morfin Corp.
Waldorf, MD
Monsanto
St. Louis, MO
Mountain View Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Menlo Park, CA
Nanosys, Inc.,
Palo Alto, CA
Nantero
Pittsburgh, PA
NeoTract® Inc.
Pleasanton, CA
Neovista Inc.
Newark, CA
Neuro Resource Group Inc.
Plano, TX
Neuronetics Inc.
Malvern, PA
NeuroPace Inc.
Mountain View, CA
New Mexico Optics Industry Association
Albuquerque, NM
New Zealand Australian Co.
San Clemente, CA
Norris Capital Inc.
Hanson, MA
North Carolina Biosciences Organization
Research Triangle Park, NC
Novo Nordisk Inc.
Princeton, NJ
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Redwood City, CA
OnLive, Inc.
Palo Alto, CA
OoOT (Out-of-Order Techniques)
Raleigh, NC
OptiMark, Inc.
Jersey City, NJ
Optimum Performance Solutions LLC, dba AcuityZ
Topeka, KS
Oyster Optics, Inc.
Melbourne, FL
Paisano Industries, L.P.
Austin, TX
Paracor Medical Inc.
Sunnyvale, CA
ParkerVision Inc.
Jacksonville, FL
PE Fusion
Fort Collins, CO
Pfizer Inc.
New York, NY
PH2 Solutions, Inc.
West Orange, NJ
PhotonEdge Inc.,
Pleasanton, CA
PhRMA
Washington, DC
Pioneer Hi-Bred
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Pivot Medical Inc.
Sunnyvale, CA
POMOCO LLC
Centennial, CO
PopPack LLC
San Francisco, CA
Portaero Inc.
Cupertino, CA
Procter & Gamble
Cincinnati, OH
Professional Inventors Alliance
Washington, DC
PTC Therapeutics
South Plainfield, NJ
Purdue Pharma L.P.
Stamford CT
R R Enterprises, Inc.
Grand Blanc MI
Rambus, Inc.
Los Altos, CA
Rearden LLC
San Francisco, CA
Research Corporation Technologies
Tucson, AZ
ResMed Corporation
San Diego, CA
Revivicor Inc.
Blacksburg, VA
Roche (Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.)
San Francisco, CA
Sanofi-Aventis US
Bridgewater, NJ
Silere Medical Technology Inc.
Kirkland, WA
SIPCO, LLC
Atlanta, GA
SoftRay Inc.
Laramie, WY
Solar Hydrogen Energy Co.
La Mesa, CA
Soleon Robotics LLC
Annandale, VA
SoSound Solutions LLC
Louisville, CO
Soverain Software LLC
Chicago, IL
Spiracur Inc.
Sunnyvale, CA
St. Clair Intellectual Property Consultants, Inc.
Grosse Pointe, MI
STC.UNM
Albuquerque, NM
SuturePro Technologies Inc.
Menlo Park, CA
SuVolta, Inc.
Los Gatos, CA
Swan Valley Medical Inc.
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Sysdyne Corporation
Minneapolis, MN
Tactile Systems Technology Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
Tarsus Medical Inc.
Mountain View, CA
Tegracore LLC
Ft. Collins, CO
TeleMed/RLIS, Inc.
San Antonio, TX
Temple Construction
Fort Collins, CO
Terra Moya Aqua Inc.
Cheyenne, WY
Tessera Inc.
San Jose, CA
Tethys Bioscience Inc.
Emeryville, CA
Textura Corp.
Deerfield, IL
The Foundry LLC
Menlo Park, CA
The Health Industry Council
Irving, TX
The Innovation Factory
Duluth, GA
The Regents of the University of California
Oakland, CA
The Stella Group Ltd.
Washington, DC
Thunder Basin Environmental Consulting Inc.
Buffalo, WY
TI Funding Group New York NY
TiVo Inc.
Alviso, CA
Tranex, Inc.
Colorado Springs, CO
TYRX Inc.
Monmouth Junction, NJ
Unicover Corporation
Cheyenne, WY
Uniloc USA Inc.
Irvine, CA
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY
Urovalve Inc.
Newark, NJ
US Business and Industry Council
Washington, DC
US Renewables Group
Santa Monica, CA
USG Corporation
Chicago, IL
Valeritas Inc.
Bridgewater, NJ
Variant, Inc.
St. Louis, MO
Vehicle Enhancement Systems, Inc.
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Ventus Medical Inc.
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Versata Software, Inc.
Austin, TX
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Cambridge, MA
Vibrynt Inc.
Redwood City, CA
VirnetX Holding Corp.
Scotts Valley, CA
Viryd Technologies, Inc.
Austin, TX
VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies Saratoga, CA
Volterra Semiconductor Corporation Fremont, CA
Walker Manufacturing Company
Fort Collins, CO
Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association
Seattle, WA
Wellington Operating Company
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Wellington Water Works LLC
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Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Madison, WI
Wolf Robotics, LLC
Fort Collins, CO
XOMA LLC
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Xpert Innovations, Inc.
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ZOLL Medical Corporation
Chelmsford, MA
ZuumCraft, Inc.
San Diego, CA