37 CFR 404.7 — Licensing of Government Owned Inventions
Current through: 2024-07-01

Exclusive, co-exclusive, and partially exclusive licenses.

§ 404.7 Exclusive, co-exclusive, and partially exclusive licenses. (a) Exclusive, co-exclusive or partially exclusive licenses may be granted on Government owned inventions, only if: (1) Notice of a prospective license identifying the invention and the prospective licensee has been published and responses, if any, reviewed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e). The agency, in its discretion, may include other information as appropriate; (2) After expiration of the public notice period and consideration of any written objections received in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e), the Federal agency has determined that: (i) The public will be served by the granting of the license, as indicated by the applicant's intentions, plans and ability to bring the invention to the point of practical application or otherwise promote the invention's utilization by the public; (ii) The proposed scope of exclusivity is not greater than reasonably necessary to provide the incentive for bringing the invention to practical application, as proposed by the applicant, or otherwise to promote the invention's utilization by the public; and (iii) Exclusive, co-exclusive or partially exclusive licensing is a reasonable and necessary incentive to call forth the investment capital and expenditures needed to bring the invention to practical application or otherwise promote the invention's utilization by the public; (3) The Federal agency has determined that the grant of such a license will not tend to substantially lessen competition or create or maintain a violation of the Federal antitrust laws; (4) The Federal agency has given first preference to any small business firms submitting plans that are determined by the agency to be within the capability of the firms and as having equal or greater likelihood as those from other applicants to bring the invention to practical application within a reasonable time; and (5) In the case of an invention covered by a foreign patent application or patent, the interests of the Federal Government or United States industry in foreign commerce will be enhanced. (b) In addition to the provisions of § 404.5, the following terms and conditions apply to exclusive, co-exclusive and partially exclusive licenses: (1) The license shall be subject to the irrevocable, royalty-free right of the Government of the United States to practice or have practiced the invention on behalf of the United States and on behalf of any foreign government or international organization pursuant to any existing or future treaty or agreement with the United States. (2) The license shall reserve to the Federal agency the right to require the licensee to grant sublicenses to responsible applicants, on reasonable terms, when necessary to fulfill health or safety needs. (3) The license shall be subject to any licenses in force at the time of the grant of the exclusive, co-exclusive or partially exclusive license. (4) The license may grant the licensee the right to take any suitable and necessary actions to protect the licensed property, on behalf of the Federal Government. (c) Federal agencies shall maintain a record of determinations to grant exclusive, co-exclusive or partially exclusive licenses. [88 FR 17739, Mar. 24, 2023]