Transferring Patents to Sovereign Entities to Avoid Inter Partes Review
On September 8th, drug maker Allergan announced that it had transferred six patents for its blockbuster drug RESTASIS®, approved for treating chronic dry eye, to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in upstate New York. The transfer was part of Allergan’s defense of the RESTASIS® patents, which are currently being challenged in both the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and in inter partes reviews (IPRs) currently pending before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).