35 U.S.C. 155A, Patent term restoration
Executive summary:
Potential for Errors: This document contains one section of the U.S. Patent Act (found in Title 35 of the United States Code) as amended by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. This page was last updated in November 2011. While the page has been edited to help ensure that the changes made by the AIA to this section are reflected in this document, errors are possible. If you notice such errors, please contact Dan Tysver at (dtysver@bitlaw.com).
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35 U.S.C. 155A Patent term restoration.
(a) Notwithstanding section 154 of this title, the term of each of the following patents shall be extended in accordance with this section:
(1) Any patent which encompasses within its scope a composition of matter which is a new drug product, if during the regulatory review of the product by the Federal Food and Drug Administration -
(A) the Federal Food and Drug Administration notified the patentee, by letter dated February 20, 1976, that such product's new drug application was not approvable under section 505(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act;
(B) in 1977 the patentee submitted to the Federal Food and Drug Administration the results of a health effects test to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of such product;
(C) the Federal Food and Drug Administration approved, by letter dated December 18, 1979, the new drug application for such application; and
(D) the Federal Food and Drug Administration approved, by letter dated May 26, 1981, a supplementary application covering the facility for the production of such product.
(2) Any patent which encompasses within its scope a process for using the composition described in paragraph (1).
(b) The term of any patent described in subsection (a) shall be extended for a period equal to the period beginning February 20, 1976, and ending May 26, 1981, and such patent shall have the effect as if originally issued with such extended term.
(c) The patentee of any patent described in subsection (a) of this section shall, within ninety days after the date of enactment of this section, notify the Director of the number of any patent so extended. On receipt of such notice, the Director shall confirm such extension by placing a notice thereof in the official file of such patent and publishing an appropriate notice of such extension in the Official Gazette of the Patent and Trademark Office.
REPEALED
Section 20 of the America Invents Act
(l) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect upon the expiration of the 1–year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date.