FTC Supports Patent Office Rule to Expand Settlement Disclosure

June 19, 2024, 12:35 AM UTC

The Federal Trade Commission endorsed the US Patent and Trademark Office’s proposal to expand the requirement for when companies must file settlement agreements.

The agency supports closing a loophole that presently allows parties to circumvent disclosure requirements if they settle before an administrative tribunal decides whether to review a patent validity challenge, according to the Tuesday comment. Extending disclosure obligations to a broader set of settlement agreements would enhance the FTC’s ability to identify and investigate potentially unlawful settlements in the pharmaceutical context and more broadly, the agency said.

The PTO published a highly-anticipated rulemaking on April 19 to ...

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

Learn About Bloomberg Law

AI-powered legal analytics, workflow tools and premium legal & business news.

Already a subscriber?

Log in to keep reading or access research tools.