COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program - CLOSED

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is no longer accepting requests for prioritized examination filed in qualifying patent applications related to COVID-19. The pending petitions will be taken in turn as set forth in the original notice, i.e., in the order that the applications are in condition for examination. The Office will treat any pending petition in an application that was filed by May 11, 2023.

Going forward, applicants may instead use the Prioritized Examination (Track I) program or the accelerated examination program. Both the Track I and accelerated examination programs not only provide advancement of examination, but set a target of reaching final disposition within 12 months from the time advancement is initiated.

COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program description:

Applications had to contain one or more claims to a product or process related to COVID-19.
Such claimed product or process had to be subject to an applicable Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for COVID-19 use.
The request had to include a certification that the applicant qualified for either small or micro entity status and an executed Application Data Sheet (ADS) meeting the requirements of 37 CFR 1.53(f)(3)(i).
Applicants had to file a grantable request under this initiative using the USPTO Patent Center if filing the request in a utility application.
Applicants should have used Pilot Program Form PTO/SB/450 to request participation in the pilot.
The pilot was open to:
- non-continuing, original, nonprovisional utility or plant patent applications filed with an acceptable request to participate
- original, nonprovisional utility or plant applications making a benefit claim under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) to one prior nonprovisional application or one prior international application designating the United States filed with an acceptable request to participate
- utility or plant applications, including the national stage of a prior international application, in which an acceptable request to participate has been filed with or after a request for continued examination (RCE), if no prior RCE was granted prioritized examination status.
The fees set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(c) and (i)(1) were not required to participate in the program.

Any application that claimed the benefit of the filing date of two or more previously filed non-provisional U.S. applications or international applications designating the United States under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) was not eligible for participation in this pilot, but the applicant may request prioritized examination under 37 CFR 1.102(e).

Benefit claims to one or more prior provisional applications under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or foreign priority claims under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or (f) did not cause a non-provisional application to be ineligible for this pilot.

Announcements

Federal Register notice 88 FR 9495 (14February2023) - Sixth Extension of the Modified COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for Patent Applications (extended to May 11, 2023)
Federal Register notice 87 FR 78661 (22December2022) - Fifth Extension of the Modified COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for Patent Applications (extended to February 15, 2023)
Federal Register notice 87 FR 38714 (29June2022) - Fourth Extension of the Modified COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for Patent Applications (extended to December 31, 2022)
Federal Register notice 87 FR 17073 (25March2022) - Third Extension of the Modified COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for Patent Applications (extended to June 30, 2022)
Federal Register notice 86 FR 74406 (30December2021) - Modification of COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program (extended to March 31, 2022)
Federal Register notice 86 FR 49522 (03September2021) - Modification of COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program (extended to December 31, 2021)
Learn from PTAB about the USPTO's prioritized programs (noon - 1 pm, 23July2020)
Federal Register notice 85 FR 28932 (14May2020)
USPTO announces COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for small and micro entities (08May2020)
Applications granted prioritized examination status for this pilot
as of June 4, 2024: 1078 filed / 708 granted

Public comments

Comments on the COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program

Questions and Answers

When does the pilot go into effect?

The pilot is effective upon the publication of the notice in the Federal Register. Note, the initial published notice erroneously stated that the effective date was July 13. The effective date is May 14.

How long will the pilot last?

The USPTO accepted requests for the prioritized examination pilot program through May 11, 2023.

What does “subject to an applicable FDA approval for COVID-19 use” mean?

U.S. FDA approvals may include, but are not limited to, an Investigational New Drug (IND) application, an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE), a New Drug Application (NDA), a Biologics License Application (BLA), a Premarket Approval (PMA), or an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Information on these items are available at www.fda.gov

Could a large entity (i.e., an applicant that does not qualify for small or micro entity status) have filed a request for the pilot program?

No. The pilot program was only for applicants that qualified for either small entity (37 CFR 1.27) or micro entity (37 CFR 1.29) status. An applicant that did not qualify as either a small or a micro entity applicant could request prioritized examination under 37 CFR 1.102(e).

What requirements for prioritized examination under 37 CFR 1.102(e) were waived in the pilot program?

The payment of the prioritized examination fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(c) and the processing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(i) was waived in the pilot program. All other requirements set forth in 37 CFR 1.102(e) were applicable to applications in the pilot program. These requirements included: filing the application and request for prioritized examination under the pilot program via the USPTO’s Patent Center if the application is a utility application; presenting no more than four independent claims and 30 total claims, and no multiple dependent claims; and paying the other required fees (e.g., the basic filing fee, search fee, and examination fee).

What will the time periods set for reply in Office actions be for applications in the pilot program?

The time periods set for reply in Office actions for applications undergoing prioritized examination under the pilot program are set forth in MPEP § 710.02(b), which are the same time periods set for other applications undergoing prioritized examination. If an applicant files a petition for an extension of time to file a reply or a request for suspension of action, the petition or request will be acted upon, but the prioritized examination of the application under the pilot program will be terminated, as is the case with other applications undergoing prioritized examination.

What does “final disposition” mean?

The goal of the Office is to provide a final disposition within 12 months, on average, of the date prioritized status was granted. The final disposition for the 12-month goal means that within 12 months from the date prioritized status is granted, one of the following will occur: (1) mailing of a notice of allowance; (2) mailing of a final Office action; (3) filing of a notice of appeal; (4) completion of examination as defined in 37 CFR 41.102; (5) filing of an RCE; or (6) abandonment of the application.

Is it possible to achieve final disposition in less than 12 months?

Applicants may shorten the overall pendency of an application in the pilot program by replying to Office actions and notices earlier than required by the USPTO. For example, the USPTO will endeavor to reduce pendency—from approval of the request for prioritized examination to final disposition—to six months if all replies occur within 30 days of a notice by the USPTO. This goal depends on additional factors, including the demands placed on specific examiners by multiple co-pending applications under the pilot program.

Will the prioritized status apply when the application enters the post-allowance process or the appeal process?

No. The mailing of a notice of allowance or a final Office action, or the filing of a Notice of Appeal, whichever is earlier, ends the prioritized status granted under the pilot program. In addition, the filing of an RCE for an application in the pilot program is a final disposition for purposes of the 12-month goal for the program. The application will not retain its special status after the filing of a proper RCE.

Can an applicant withdraw the application from the pilot program?

No. There is no provision for withdrawal from special status under the pilot program. However, filing a petition for any extension of time under 37 CFR 1.136(a) or abandoning the application will result in the termination of special status under the pilot program. Presenting more than one benefit claim to previously filed nonprovisional U.S. applications or international applications designating the United States under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) will also result in the termination of special status under the pilot program. In addition, filing an amendment to the application that results in more than four independent claims, more than 30 total claims, or a multiple dependent claim will terminate the prioritized examination status unless the amendment is treated as not fully responsive by the examiner.

What happens to the application if its prioritized examination status is terminated?

Upon termination of prioritized examination status, the application will be removed from the examiner’s special docket and placed on the examiner’s regular docket in accordance with its stage of prosecution, as is the case with other applications undergoing prioritized examination.

Contact us

For questions about Patent Center, please contact the Patent Electronic Business Center at 866-217-9197.

For questions regarding the COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program Federal Register notice, please contact Robert Clarke at 571-272-7735 or via email at covid19PrioritizedExamPilot@uspto.gov.