Biotech ‘New Era’ in Store if Patent Revamp Overcomes Opposition

A congressional push to let drug companies patent diagnostic tests and other biotech inventions is rekindling a decade-old battle and dividing legal experts and stakeholders over whether the approach could spark innovation or stifle new treatments that could help patients.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) wants to restore the rights of drugmakers and others to bolster their intellectual property portfolios and block competition to their products. He introduced legislation (S. 4734) this summer that would reshape federal patent law to overcome several controversial US Supreme Court rulings.

The proposal follows years of backroom lobbying. Billions of dollars could be ...