Robert Ernest Hilton

USPTO Director Signals Continued Pro-Patent Discretionary Denial Policy at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board Ted M. Cannon In a precedential decision in Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc. v. Kurin, Inc., USPTO Director Squires denied IPR institution and reinforced the policy framework for discretionary denial at the PTAB, signaling a policy of using discretionary denial to allow the PTAB to serve as an alternative to, not an expansion of, district court patent litigation.

AI Risks With the Patent Office: What Life Science Companies Should Be Asking Now Robert J. Hilton, Ph.D. & Justin Culbertson, Ph.D. AI tools are reshaping patent preparation and prosecution, but statements made to the USPTO are permanent, and AI-generated inaccuracies don’t come with warning labels. Efficiency gains are real, but so is the need for proper oversight to protect your portfolio. Federal Circuit Confirms Patent Eligibility of Gene Therapy Patent in Regenexbio Inc. v.

Key Takeaway: The USPTO’s new PIER Pilot Program requires applicants in selected PCT national stage applications to affirmatively decide whether to proceed with, delay, or abandon U.S. patent examination. Participation is mandatory for selected applications, and failure to respond to the USPTO’s Requirement for Information will result in abandonment.