USPTO Announces Cancer Moonshot Expedited Examination Pilot Program

Update by: Alex Zhang and Grace Kim

The USPTO has published a Federal Register Notice announcing a new program: the Cancer Moonshot Expedited Examination Pilot Program.

Beginning on February 1, 2023, the new program expedites examination for a broad scope of technologies to prevent cancer and cancer mortality. Patent applications pertaining to the qualifying technologies will be accorded special status and reviewed earlier. The program is scheduled to run until either January 31, 2025, or the date by which the USPTO accepts a total of 1,000 grantable petitions, whichever is earlier.

The new program replaces the USPTO’s Cancer Immunotherapy Pilot Program, which expedites examination for eligible patent applications pertaining to methods of treating a cancer using immunotherapy and terminates on January 31, 2023.

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