USPTO mandatory pilot program is new approach to pendency crunch
By Nick Robertson ( May 6, 2026, 15:58 GMT | Comment) -- The US Patent and Trademark Office’s PCT Informed Examination Request (PIER) pilot program takes a unique approach to reducing pendency in international patent applications that reach the national stage in the US, requiring applicants to choose whether to continue with examination, delay examination by 12 months or abandon their applications.The US Patent and Trademark Office launched a mandatory pilot program for PCT patent applications last month that takes a unique approach to reducing patent examination pendency, forcing applicants to consider abandoning their applications in a decision-making process that complicates patent strategy....
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