Intellectual property strategies and hurdles on the path to commercialization of biotech inventions

In addition to the existing challenges associated with obtaining patents, including cost and getting applications through the patent office, new hurdles in recent years include the emergence of a more stringent subject matter eligibility standard and the establishment of the Inter Partes Review (IPR) process under the America Invents Act (AIA). As a supplement or alternative to patent protection, the recent passage and expected signing of the Defend Trade Secrets Act provides a nationally-uniform trade secrets bill that gives access to Federal courts and other protections that add to the potential value of trade secret protection for intellectual property. This session will include a discussion of current issues in biotech intellectual property law and strategies for protecting your IP.