Fast Track service expanding at UK Patent Office:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The UK Patent Office's Fast Track service has carried out some 1,700 combined searches and examinations since it was inaugurated a year ago. The system makes it possible for a patent to be issued within a year instead of the usual three- and-a-half years following an application. It was designed to benefit small businesses or individuals who need to secure licence agreements or gain access to venture capital (see Clinica No 662, p 3). Head of the Patents & Designs Directorate, Ron Marchant, believes demand for the more rapid service will grow as product cycles become shorter.