Senate Panel Reaches Deal On Patent Reform

Leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee say they have reached an agreement on legislation to make reforms to the nation’s patent system. The committee approved a patent reform bill last April. But in the months since, a half-dozen lawmakers have continued to work to address unresolved issues. The new proposal includes provisions to move to a first-inventor-to-file system, allow third parties to comment on pending patent applications, and authorize the Patent & Trademark Office to reduce fees for small entities. Reaction among the various stakeholders has been divided. “The latest amendment makes several important and well-crafted improvements to the overall bill,” says Biotechnology Industry Organization President James C. Greenwood. But the Coalition for Patent Fairness, which represents tech giants such as Intel, Google, and Apple, says the plan doesn’t do enough to rein in damages awarded in patent infringement cases.H