FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
On May 8th, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced the COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program. The Alliance of U.S. Startups and Inventors for Jobs (USIJ) Executive Director Chris Israel issued the following statement:
“The Alliance of Startups and Inventors for Jobs applauds the USPTO for launching the COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program, which allows small and micro entities to be put on a fast track for patent examination without paying the fees typically associated with prioritized examination. This program will incentivize tremendous U.S. technological leadership to deliver treatments and cures for COVID-19.
Visionary entrepreneurs and dynamic startups are the backbone of the American innovation economy and their talents are essential to our nation’s pandemic response. These companies rely on strong patent protection to secure support from investors, who must be willing to share the risks involved with starting new life sciences companies and entering the race to develop a treatment or cure. By allowing small and micro entities to be put on a fast track for patent examination, this pilot program will help ensure that our nation’s brightest minds are brought into the global effort to fight COVID-19.”