You are here:  Ed9 07.2015 Guidebook  » Chapter 2700

2754    Filing Date

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

The filing date of an application for patent term extension is the date on which a complete application is received in the USPTO or filed pursuant to the certificate of mailing provisions or the Express Mail provisions. Patent term extension applications must not be filed by facsimile or the Office’s electronic filing system (EFS-Web). However correspondence setting forth a change of address and other papers relating to a patent term extension may be sent by facsimile to the Office of Patent Legal Administration or via EFS-Web.

 

(a) The filing date of an application for extension of a patent term is the date on which a complete application is received in the Office or filed pursuant to the procedures set forth in § 1.8 or § 1.10. A complete application must include:

(1) An identification of the approved product;
(2) An identification of each Federal statute under which regulatory review occurred;
(3) An identification of the patent for which an extension is being sought;
(4) An identification of each claim of the patent which claims the approved product or a method of using or manufacturing the approved product;
(5) Sufficient information to enable the Director to determine under subsections (a) and (b) of 35 U.S.C. 156 the eligibility of a patent for extension, and the rights that will be derived from the extension, and information to enable the Director and the Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Secretary of Agriculture to determine the length of the regulatory review period; and
(6) A brief description of the activities undertaken by the marketing applicant during the applicable regulatory review period with respect to the approved product and the significant dates applicable to such activities.

(b) If an application for extension of patent term is incomplete under this section, the Office will so notify the applicant. If applicant requests review of a notice that an application is incomplete, or review of the filing date accorded an application under this section, applicant must file a petition pursuant to this paragraph accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.17(h) within two months of the mail date of the notice that the application is incomplete, or the notice according the filing date complained of. Unless the notice indicates otherwise, this time period may be extended under the provisions of § 1.136.



2754.01   Deadline for Filing an Application Under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(1)  

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

An application for patent term extension under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(1) may only be filed within the sixty-day period beginning on the date the product received permission under the provision of law under which the applicable regulatory review period occurred for commercial marketing or use. The statutory time period is not extendable and cannot be waived or excused.

 


2754.02   Filing Window for an Application Under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(5)  

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

A first application for interim extension under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(5) (to extend the patent term before product approval) must be filed within the period beginning six months and ending fifteen days before the patent is due to expire. Each subsequent application for interim extension must be filed during the period beginning sixty days before and ending thirty days before the expiration of the preceding interim extension.

 


2754.03   Filing of a Request for an Extension Under 35 U.S.C. 156(e)(2)  

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

A request for an interim extension under 35 U.S.C. 156(e)(2) (to extend the patent term during the processing of the patent term extension application) should be made at least three months before the patent is due to expire.

 

» 2755 Eligibility Determination