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10 J. Marshall Rev. Intell. Prop. L. [i] (2010-2011)

handle is hein.journals/johnmars10 and id is 1 raw text is: THE JOHNIMARSHALL
REVIEW OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT CASES SEEKING LONGER PATENT
TERM ADJUSTMENTS IN THE WAKE OF WYETH V. KAPPOS
VERNE A. LUCKOW & STEVEN C. BALSAROTTI
ABSTRACT
Over 175 Federal District Court cases filed from September 2008 through July 2010 were analyzed
to determine common features noted by applicants seeking longer patent term adjustments (PTAs)
in view of a Federal District Court ruling, later affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit in Wyeth v. Kappos, which held that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)
misinterpreted a statute relating to the calculation of PTAs involving overlapping periods of delay
attributable to the PTO or to the applicant. Applicant and PTO errors in calculating PTAs were
common, often relating to counting errors due to the mischaracterization of events that occur at the
beginning or end of specific delay periods. Asymmetries were also noted in the treatment of delay
periods encountered in the prosecution of national phase applications based on earlier-filed
international applications, compared to applications which take priority only to earlier-filed U.S.
applications. Common patterns of delay were noted, and practices that minimize Applicant Delay,
maximizing effective PTA, are highlighted. Despite the intent of Congress to compensate applicants
for delays in prosecution in an industry-independent manner, applicants seeking reconsideration of a
patent term adjustment in Federal District Court are highly-biased toward institutions seeking
patents on pharmaceutical and related biotechnology inventions. Unlike patent term extensions,
which are sought in a six-month period prior to regulatory approval and sale of a pharmaceutical
product, and often long after a patent has issued claiming the product, court cases identifying
patents needing longer PTAs provide early notice to the public, including investors and competitors,
of technologies considered to have particular value to the applicant. Understanding the complex
calculations behind PTAs, patent term extensions, and expiration dates, is key to the development of
successful scientific, legal, and business strategies involving licensing and ownership of patented
technologies.
Copyright C 2010 The John Marshall Law School

Cite as Verne A. Luckow & Steven C. Balsarotti, StatisticalAnalysis ofFederal District
Court Cases Seeking Longer Patent Term Adjustments in the Wake ofWyeth v. Kappos,
10 J. MARSHALL REV. INTELL. PROP. L. 1 (2010).

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