Patents 4 Partnerships
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced in a recent press release that it has launched a new platform designed to facilitate interaction between companies holding IP rights to technologies related to the COVID-19 pandemic and those interested in licensing these technologies for potential commercialization. The Patents 4 Partnerships platform consists of a user-friendly interface in which potential licensors can voluntarily list their US patents and US patent publications along with an external link to receive more information regarding licensing opportunities.
USPTO Patents 4 Partnerships Platform
The USPTO lists its mission for this platform as a way to bring critical inventions to the market to meet the challenges of this crisis. The platform may be expanded in the future to include additional technologies.
“Patents 4 Partnerships is a meeting place that enables patent owners who want to license their IP rights to connect with the individuals and businesses who can turn those rights into solutions for our health and wellbeing,” said Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “With an initial focus on COVID-19, the platform shows how innovation can contribute to the nation’s response to this critical health emergency.”
How to access the platform
The platform can be searched by keyword, inventor name, patent number, etc., and can be easily filtered by publication date range. As of the date of this blog, there are over 200 entries, including in the areas of detection tools, biotherapeutics, vaccines, food safety, diagnostics, robotic systems, and materials for use in health care settings.
The USPTO is accepting comments from users via the main page of the platform and is also inviting owners to submit additional patents or patent publications related to COVID-19.
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