In Brief: GATT patent extensions

Executive Summary

GATT patent extensions: Merck v. Kessler patent ruling upheld Jan. 21 when U.S. Supreme Court lets stand D.C. appeals court ruling in case. The D.C. three judge panel ruled in April that Waxman/Hatch extensions may be added to the 20-years-from-filing patent term established under the General Agreement on Tariffs & Trade if the original 17-year term of the patent was in force at the time GATT took effect on June 8, 1995. However, the panel ruled that an extension may not be added if the patent was in force due to Waxman/Hatch extensions ("The Pink Sheet" April 15, 1996, T&G-1)...