definiens: shall mean prosecution of the original and any continuing or divisional applications to issuance or to a final rejection . SYSTEM is not required to, but may at its discretion, pursue an appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, or the Federal Circuit Courts, or similar action in foreign countries . SYSTEM shall maintain any U.S. patent resulting from the proseeution described hereinabove . In the event that INHIBITEX determines not to eontinue reimbursement of SYSTEM 's expenses for the prosecution to completion or maintenance of U.S. Patent Applications comprising PATENT RlGHTS, INHIBITEX will inform SYSTEM of its decision in sufficient time for SYSTEM to make decisions regarding its desire to continue prosecution . In such case, SYSTEM shall have the right to continue the prosecution or maintenance at its own expense . However, any such applications or patents funded by SYSTEM thereafter shall be excluded from PATENT RIGHTS