TAKEAWAY: The USPTO has implemented a web-based licensing registry to facilitate technology transfer in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19.
The importance of innovation in healthcare is greater now more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need for sharing knowledge, including the existence and availability of patented and patent-pending technologies. In addition to the countless healthcare professionals who have been called upon in response to this emergency, innovators across the world have also taken on an important role in confronting the current crisis.
To foster communication among innovators, the USPTO recently launched its Patents 4 Partnerships platform as a means of connecting IP owners and potential licensees. The web-based platform serves as a searchable database of technologies available for licensing, thus providing a centralized resource for potential business relationships. The database allows the public to browse patents and pending patent applications directed to the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of COVID-19 to foster and expedite licensing discussions.
The database currently includes 200+ patent assets voluntarily submitted by a variety of IP owners, including federal labs and agencies, universities, and private companies. While Patents 4 Partnerships was launched as a pilot program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the USPTO plans to explore the possibility of expanding the technologies listed and extending the platform as a long-term resource for facilitating technology transfer.
Interested licensors and potential licensees may access the Patents 4 Partnerships platform here. There is no cost to submit a patent or patent application for listing in the database.