Supreme Court invalidates two medical diagnostic methods patents *

USA - March 22 2012
This week, in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court invalidated claims of two patents relating to medical diagnostic methods, stating that the claims in question amount to nothing more than laws of nature and "well-understood, routine, conventional activity previously engaged in by researchers in the field."

Co-authors: Edwin V. "Ted" Merkel , Shelley A. Jones, Jeffrey N. Townes, Georgia Evans, Tate L. Tischner.

Patent reform: Obama signs America Invents Act *

USA - September 16 2011
President Obama today signed into law the America Invents Act, the first significant change in patent law since 1952.

Co-authors: Edwin V. "Ted" Merkel , Shelley A. Jones, Jeffrey N. Townes, Wendell W. Harris, Ph.D., Tate L. Tischner.

U.S. Congress passes sweeping patent reform legislation *

USA - September 8 2011
The U.S. Senate voted today to pass the America Invents Act, a patent reform bill intended to encourage innovation, job creation and economic growth.

Co-authors: Edwin V. "Ted" Merkel , Shelley A. Jones, Jeffrey N. Townes, Wendell W. Harris, Ph.D., Tate L. Tischner.

Federal Circuit rules in favor of Myriad: isolated DNA claims are patent-eligible subject matter *

USA - August 1 2011
On Friday July 29, 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ("Federal Circuit") rendered its decision on the appeal by Myriad Genetics, Inc. ("Myriad") of the lower court decision in Ass'n for Molecular Pathology v. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO") (No. 2010-1406), which had held that fifteen claims directed to isolated DNA molecules or to methods of use are patent-ineligible under 35 U.S.C. § 101.

Co-authors: Edwin V. "Ted" Merkel , Shelley A. Jones, Jeffrey N. Townes, Georgia Evans, Tate L. Tischner.