Attend the Biotechnology, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Partnership Meeting

Share your insights and experiences in the biotechnology areas at our next Biotechnology, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Customer Partnership (BCP) Meeting. The meeting will take place online September 17, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

Topics to be covered during the meeting include:

• Subject matter eligibility (35 U.S.C. §101) guidance update
• Written description requirement for antibodies
• Expedited patent prosecution options
• Patent application initiatives
• Sequence searching

To register, please email USPTOBCP1600@uspto.gov by Tuesday, September 15. Please include the following information: 

• Subject: BCP RSVP
• Your name, title, and organization
• Contact information (email, phone, etc.)

For more information, visit the meeting event page on the USPTO website.

RESOLVED: Temporary delays in submitted documents

Documents submitted via EFS-Web and Patent Center that were experiencing delays are now available in Private PAIR's IFW tab and Patent Center's Documents and Transactions tab.

If you have any questions, please contact the Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 1-866-217-9197, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to midnight ET, or ebc@uspto.gov.

Sept. 3: Learn the intricacies of ex parte appeals

Join the next Boardside Chat webinar on Thursday, September 3, from noon to 1 p.m. ET for a discussion about several aspects of ex parte appeals. 

Acting Vice Chief Judge Mike Kim and Vice Chief Judge Janet Gongola will share information about current appeal pendency statistics and the new Fast-Track Appeal Pilot Program, through which an appellant can secure a Board decision in six months. Additionally, Judges Annette Reimers, Tara Hutchings, and Ifti Ahmed will present practice tips and examples for enhancing your advocacy skills in ex parte appeals. 

The webinar is free and open to all. There will be a Q&A session at the end. Please send questions in advance or during the webinar to PTABBoardsideChat@uspto.gov.

More information, including the webinar access information, is available on the PTAB Boardside Chat page of the USPTO website.

Trademark -- Provide input on revised exam guide for specimens

USPTO would like to hear your feedback on proposed revisions to the examination guidelines regarding digitally created or altered and mockup specimens. Below is a summary of proposed changes:

• The reference to a white background has been deleted.
• The revised guide provides more discretion regarding what information is required in a request for information (RFI).
• The requirement to respond to the RFI is withdrawn in certain situations.
• The guide and RFI now require supporting documentation, rather than a specific number of supporting documents or dollar amount of sales.

To provide feedback:

1. Review the Examination of Specimens for Use in Commerce: Digitally Created/Altered or Mockup Specimens guide.
2. Post your comments on the Trademark Policy Collaboration Site.

For more information about how to set up an account and use this tool, review the How to use IdeaScale page on the USPTO website.

Resolving temporary delays in submitted documents

Documents submitted via EFS-Web and Patent Center are currently experiencing longer than expected delays in becoming available in Private PAIR's IFW tab and Patent Center's Documents and Transactions tab. We are aware of the issue and are working to resolve it. 

For updates on this issue, please visit the USPTO Systems Status and Availability page on the USPTO website.

If you have any questions, please contact the Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 1-866-217-9197, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to midnight ET, or ebc@uspto.gov.