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Description
While protecting patentable inventions in both the U.S. and Europe is the foundation of many patent portfolios, priority arrangements in the U.S. can challenge obtaining patent protection in Europe. This problem was highlighted by the European Patent Office's (EPO) ruling on the CRISPR gene-editing patent last year.
The issue of priority was front and center in the EPO's Board of Appeal 2020 decision in the patent dispute over the rights to commercialize CRISPR technology. The Board held that the Broad Institute of MIT's European patent be revoked after it dismissed the institution's claims over its patent's priority date. The Board recently published its decision, which noted that it followed EPO case law on the issue of priority and found that all applicants must be listed on both the initial and subsequent applications to be entitled to priority.
It is critical for patent counsel to understand where the potential risks, whether related to ownership, same invention, or broad vs. narrow scope, may arise when preparing and filing patent applications in the U.S. or EU.
Listen as our authoritative panel of patent attorneys examines priority arrangements and patent protection in the U.S. and EU. The panel will discuss the differences between the jurisdictions and the potential pitfalls applicants may encounter, including disparities over ownership which pose some of the biggest risks. The panel will address how to avoid or overcome these challenges and offer best practices for patent filings to avoid priority issues and ensure protection in both the U.S. and EU.
Presented By

Dr. Ammelburg is an imaginative life scientist holding a doctorate in biochemistry. His practice focuses on patent prosecution in the biotechnology and pharma areas based on his deep understanding of the architecture and function of small compounds as well as macromolecules. Having a special interest in the dynamic law governing supplementary protection certificates (SPCs), he coordinates the prosecution of several families of SPC applications across Europe. Additionally, Dr. Ammelburg passionately fights for his clients in a growing number of opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office (EPO).

Mr. Fasse’s practice emphasizes client counseling and patent prosecution in a wide variety of technologies, with an emphasis on healthcare, medical devices, and other biological and medical fields as well as various green technologies. He helps clients from startups to multinationals to develop competitive worldwide patent strategies and to establish solid and defensible patent portfolios. Mr. Fasse performs competitive patent analyses, identifies third-party patent risks, and provides patentability and freedom to operate opinions. He also has experience in opposing and defending patents before the European Patent Office and in U.S. litigation and post-grant proceedings.
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This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
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Live Online
On Demand
Date + Time
- event
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
- schedule
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
Outline
- Priority: the interplay between the U.S. and EU
- Risks/pitfalls
- Ownership
- Same invention
- Scope: broad vs. narrow claims
- Other risks
- Recent decisions
- CRISPR
- Best practices for filing to protect patents in both the U.S. and EU
- Appropriate claims
- Robust disclosure
- Attention to drawings/specification figures
- Consider recent case law
Benefits
The panel will review these and other high priority issues:
- What are the differences between the U.S. and European approaches to priority?
- What are the considerations for patent counsel drafting U.S. applications when patent protection in Europe is anticipated or desired?
- What are the potential risks that counsel may need to overcome when drafting U.S. or EU patent applications to maximize protection?
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