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Patent and Trademark Office

BIO and USPTO Trace the Journey of Biotech Inventions

BIO will be co-hosting an event with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the issuance of U.S. patent 4,259,444 to Ananda Chakrabarty following the Supreme Court case, Diamond v. Chakrabarty, which held that Chakrabarty’s bioengineered bacterium was eligible for patenting.

IP: Imperative for Innovation

Patent systems can provide an advantage to society by rewarding the development of new inventions, promoting the advancement of technology and protecting the investor.  Patents often are the most important, and sometimes only, asset of a biotech company. Patents and related rights must be obtained in a timely and predictable manner and the ability to enforce those patents is critical.

Patent Reform Passes the Senate and Moves to the House

The Patent Reform Act of 2011 would strengthen and improve our nation’s patent system, spurring innovation and job creation.

Speeding Patent Processing: New Pilots Begin

The folks at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are trying to remedy the slow process of patent processing by erasing redundancies and increasing efficiency through various methods, all discussed — but not solved — at a recent roundtable held at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Va.

At Stake: Gene-Based Patents

A patent case winding its way through U.S. District Court has the potential to hinder biotechnology R&D if the judge hearing the case rules in favor of the plaintiffs, led by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Letters, Testimony & Comments

IP Attache Program: BIO's Congressional Hearing Comments
June 27 2012
  The U.S. Intellectual Property Rights Attaché Program has had significant success and holds immense promise in helping to...
More than Myriad: Gene Patent Discussion Must Not Forget Industrial, Environmental, Food and Agricultural Biotech
June 11 2012
On behalf of the 23 undersigned industrial, environmental, food and agricultural biotechnology companies, we write to express our...
Supplemental Examination: BIO Comments on Patent Reform
March 25 2012
From BIO’s perspective, Supplemental Examination may have significant benefits, because patents that undergo this process are...
AIA Oath or Declaration: BIO Comments
March 7 2012
Selected Excerpts: The vast majority of BIO’s members are small and medium sized enterprises that currently do not have products...
USPTO Genetic Testing Study: BIO's Testimony
February 17 2012
If a poor patient in Nevada doesn’t have access to an advanced molecular diagnostic test, and right across the border in California...
More Letters, Testimony & Comments →

Press Releases

BIO Unveils Strategic Initiative to Speed Scientific Breakthroughs, Develop Cures and Grow the Bio-Economy
June 29 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Wednesday, June 29, 2011) - The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) released today a summary...
BIO Hosts U.S./China Biotechnology Examiner Workshop with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and China’s State Intellectual Property Office
April 5 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Tuesday, April 05, 2011) - The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) hosted a U.S./China...
Director of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to Speak at 2010 BIO International Convention
March 15 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Monday, March 15, 2010) - David Kappos, Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Under...
BIO Commends PTO Director for Withdrawal of Harmful Rules
October 8 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Thursday, October 08, 2009) - Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) President and CEO Jim...
Temporary PTO Funding Option is Critical For Biotech Innovation and Jobs
July 8 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Wednesday, July 08, 2009) - The following statement was issued today by the Biotechnology Industry...
More Press Releases →