Thought leadership to move us forward

On October 8th, 2025, Andrei Iancu testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Intellectual Property during the Hearing on the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA). Iancu, Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, former Under Secretary of Commerce for IP and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and

By Anne Prichett Today, the United States leads the world in biopharmaceutical industry research and development (R&D), supporting nearly five million jobs and generating more than $1.65 trillion in economic output. This position of global leadership, however, is relatively recent. Until the late 1980s, Europe–particularly Germany, France,

By Chris Borges The President’s Budget Request for fiscal year 2026 (FY 2026) includes steep cuts to federal research and development (R&D) funding—a troubling signal for U.S. innovation and economic security. While congressional committees may push back on the most severe reductions, the signs are clear: Federal R&D funding is likely

By Sujai Shivakumar and Chris Borges The Commerce Department is reportedly considering a novel revenue-raising idea to address the national debt: a “patent tax.” Under this proposal, patent holders would be required to pay the federal government between 1 and 5 percent of their patents’ assessed value each year. While the

By Richard Taffet and Chris Borges Competition among nations for technological and economic leadership is intense, especially between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC has followed a decades-long, targeted strategy focused on leadership in critical and emerging technologies (CETs), and, according to some, it has

By Dr. Anne Pritchett The United States is the global leader in biopharmaceutical innovation. This leadership is built on the pillars of strong intellectual property protection, substantial investment in research and development (R&D), and a robust innovation ecosystem. These factors, combined with a market-based system that supports competitive drug pricing, encourage innovation and

By Chris Borges   Although patents are territorial, meaning they are limited to the jurisdiction in which they are granted, the networks spanning innovation and commerce are global. U.S. inventors routinely seek patent protection in markets abroad to safeguard their innovations, facilitate exports, and access new customers. By requiring member states

By Chris Borges As debates over trade balances intensify, policymakers should remember where the United States already excels: the creation, sale, and licensing of intellectual property (IP). IP rights such as patents, copyrights, and trademarks convert ideas into protected and transferable economic assets, promoting innovation and economic growth.

By Kirti Gupta and Mark Cohen As 5G cellular standards continue to connect billions of smartphones, automobiles, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the licensing of standard essential patents (SEPs) on Fair, Reasonable and Non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms has emerged as a key interest of businesses and policymakers worldwide. SEPs represent tens of billions of