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Coalition Urges Enactment of Patent Reform Legislation to Drive Job Growth and Innovation

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BIO joined with 97 other manufacturers, scientists, researchers, academic institutions, and businesses to urge the U.S. House of Representatives to enact patent reform into law in order to strengthen our country&#39;s patent system which will help get breakthrough products to market faster, maximizing our opportunities for job growth.</p>

March 24, 2011

As our economy begins to improve, job creation remains a critical priority toward ensuring a broad, deep and sustained recovery. To that end, legislation to strengthen our patent system will drive job growth by encouraging additional investments in R&D, as well as creating a vibrant environment conducive to greater innovation – all without adding to the deficit.

The Senate’s overwhelmingly bipartisan vote on patent reform represents a rare opportunity to make progress in this critical area. Similarly, the House Judiciary Committee’s recent hearings have helped build the basis upon which patent reform legislation could move quickly in the House of Representatives as well.

As highlighted recently by Director David Kappos in his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, our patent system is in dire need of the appropriate tools for modernization and adequate funding for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Comprehensive patent reform will ensure that the examination and approval processes work efficiently and provide certainty so that businesses, small and large, can place new and innovative products in the market. And, a predictable and dedicated revenue stream for the PTO, with full access to all the fees it collects, will help get breakthrough products to market faster, maximizing our opportunities for job growth.

As leading manufacturers, scientists, researchers, academic institutions, and businesses, small and large, we stand ready to assist you in your efforts to improve the patent system and unleash the creative and technical talents of American innovation. We cannot afford to wait. It is our hope that patent reform legislation can be enacted into law this year and we look forward to working with you to achieve this goal.

Sincerely,

Abbott
Advanced BioHealing
Alkermes
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
American Council on Education
American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants
American Intellectual Property Law
Association
Arizona State University
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Universities
Association of Public and Land-grant
Universities
Association of University Technology
Managers
BayBio
Bayer Corporation
Beckman Coulter Inc.
BIOCOM
Biogen Idec
BioMarin
Bio Nebraska Life Sciences Association
BioNJ
BioOhio
Biotechnology Industry Organization
Boston Scientific
Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Bristol-Myers Squibb
California Healthcare Institute, Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Colorado Bioscience Association
Connecticut United for Research Excellence,
Inc.--CURE
Cornell University
Danisco US Inc. – Genencor
Delaware Bio
The Dow Chemical Company
Duke University
Duke University School of Medicine
DuPont
Eastman Chemical Company
Eisai Inc.
Eli Lilly & Company
Exxon Mobil Corporation
General Electric
Genzyme
Georgia Bio
GlaxoSmithKline
HealthCare Institute of New Jersey
Honeywell
Hydra Biosciences
IBM
Illinois Biotechnology Industry
Organization—iBIO®
Illinois Tool Works
Indiana Health Industry Forum
Indiana University
Intellectual Property Owners Association
International Game Technology
Iowa Biotech Association
Iowa State University
Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Johnson & Johnson
KaloBios Pharmaceuticals
LifeScience Alley and the BioBusiness
Alliance of Minnesota
Life Technologies
Massachusetts Biotechnology Council
Medtronic, Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc.
Merial
MichBio
Milliken & Company
Missouri Biotechnology Association
North Carolina Biosciences Organization
(NCBIO)
North Carolina State University
Novartis
Novozymes North America Inc.
Pennsylvania Bio
PepsiCo
Pfizer
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers
of America
Procter & Gamble
sanofi-aventis U.S.
Southern California Biomedical Council
Stony Brook University, State University of
New York
Syngenta
Syracuse University
Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute
Texas Instruments
The Ohio State University
University of Illinois
University of Michigan
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Pittsburgh
University of Utah Health Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Vanderbilt University
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Virginia Biotechnology Association
Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical
Association
Washington University in St. Louis
Weyerhaeuser
Zimmer, Inc.

Read the letter