Crystal Clear Forecast: Predicting Patents 2020

by: David Nickelson, Director of Research

With 2019 coming to a close and holiday leftovers finally consumed it’s time to look ahead to what we expect to see in 2020.

US vs. Gilead

Movement in the highly publicized Health and Human Services vs. Gilead case will engage public debate about the patent system in a way that we rarely see. Its confluence of features including the ongoing debates about how to address healthcare and drug prices in the US, along with Presidential candidates eager to talk about their own proposed plans should push awareness of this case beyond the realm of patent and legal geeks.

Arthrex Case

We’ll get some kind of resolution to the question of whether the entire Patent Trial and Appeal Board foundation was undermined or whether nothing functional has changed following the Federal Circuit’s controversial Arthrex decision.

Oil Patents Slip

In a field near and dear to us here at Techson, headquarters in Texas, we don’t expect an uptick in oilfield patent filings due to the anticipated stagnant or slightly lower oil prices in 2020. That said, we do expect to see significant movement among major patent holders and we’ll keep our eyes on those players that find themselves in economic stress - and watch if they move to patent and IP monetization to bolster their balance sheets.

For companies looking to build competitive advantages however, these periods of low or moderate activity offer a tremendous opportunity to get ahead of their competitors. We can help companies identify these areas of white space using our proprietary Limestone platform and our team of experts with extensive knowledge in the oilfield.

Limestone Turns One

And finally speaking of Limestone, we anticipate further interest in our amazing tool as we continue to improve and innovate around its core technology which has enabled us to deliver accurate results to our clients in more and more efficient ways.

Patent Predictions 2020

What other stories in the IP field do you expect to make headlines in 2020?

Drop a note in the comments and let us know, or get in touch and let’s see how we can help your clients move ahead of their competitors in the upcoming year.

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