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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Stefano Vaj wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><snip><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>There is another reason. Once a
molecule is in the approval phase in any jurisdiction, your ability to obtain a
patent is over, since the invention is considered as divulged. Thus, you cannot
wait the end of that process to apply, not only because somebody else might
file before you do, but because your application would be void anyway.<br>
<br>
<b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><snip><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>U.S. patent laws differ from
European laws in several respects, including a "first to invent"
rather than "first to file" rule. Therefore, in the U.S. you may publish
or put your invention to commercial use for up to one year and still patent it
afterwards. However, if you commercialize it first, you will likely NOT be
able to obtain a patent outside the U.S. for it. See below: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:
8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>35 U.S.C. § 102(b)
requires that a U.S. patent application must be filed within one year of any of
the following three events:</span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:
"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:
8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>1. The disclosure of the
invention (by any person) in a printed publication</span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>(probably
includes public disclosures using overheads and slides,</span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>"video"
publications, trade literature);</span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:
"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:
8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>2. The offering for sale
(or sale) of the invention (by any person) - does</span><span style='font-size:
8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>not
include efforts to license patent rights to others; or</span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:
8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>3. The commercial use of
the invention (by any person) - called "public</span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>use."</span><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:
8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>To obtain protection in
foreign countries (except for a limited exception in Canada), an application
must be filed in the U.S. before the invention is sold or disclosed to the
public.</span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
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