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The PIER Pilot Program may also allow Applicants to review their patent strategy, as well as PCT work product (e.g., International Search Report, Written Opinion, and, where applicable, the International Preliminary Report on Patentability) before continuing in a U.S. national stage application.
The PIER Pilot Program runs from April 9, 2026 to April 9, 2027, with the possibility of extension or early termination. The USPTO will evaluate its impact on applicant behavior, examination efficiency, and workload, with a view to potential longer-term adoption.
The PIER Pilot Program only applies to U.S. national phase applications under 35 U.S.C. §371, which have completed pre-examination processing, and which are selected by the USPTO for the PIER Pilot Program. Applicants have no input as to which applications are selected for the PIER Pilot Program. Participation is mandatory for applications selected by the USPTO, and Applicants cannot opt in or out. At the present time, the USPTO has not specified any target number or cap on the applications to be selected for the PIER Pilot Program.
For selected applications, the USPTO will issue a requirement for information (RFI). An RFI issued under the PIER Pilot Program is treated as an Office action for response purposes (but not a first action on the merits). In response, Applicants must choose one of three options using USPTO form PTO/SB/478:
Critically, failure to respond will result in abandonment of the subject application. A timely and complete reply is mandatory, and even an incomplete or improperly signed response may lead to loss of rights.
When selecting Option #1 (proceeding immediately with examination),Applicants are encouraged to review and file claim amendments by Preliminary Amendment, if Applicants believe amendments will advance examination efficiency. Applicants may also consider submitting remarks addressing the PCT Written Opinion or IPRP to proactively frame issues for the USPTO Examiner prior to examination.
In addition, when Option #1 is selected, the application will then be assigned to an Examiner in the appropriate art unit. There is no definite period to the first Office Communication (e.g., Office action) from the time of response to the RFI, but the application will be placed in the Examiner’s normal queue for examination.
Further, normal examination timelines, including eligibility for Track One or other prioritized examination programs (e.g., a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) request, if separately requested), are not expected to be altered by inclusion in the PIER Pilot Program.
When selecting Option #2 (12-month delay to examination),the 12-month delay may provide Applicants with additional time to assess commercial value and portfolio strategy without a USPTO fee. It is noted that when selecting Option #2:
When selecting Option #3 (express abandonment),the application will proceed to abandonment. It is noted that express abandonment is generally irreversible, and revival on the basis of unintentional abandonment may be available only in limited circumstances and should not be relied upon (e.g., absent clear evidence of error in selecting the express abandonment option).
The deadline for responding to the RFI is 2 months, which may be extendable to 6 months with the proper extensions of time. Applicants must use the designated USPTO form PTO/SB/478 in response to the RFI. Again, it is critical that Applicants respond to the RFI and that the RFI, upon receipt, be properly docketed, as failure to respond to the RFI will result in abandonment of the subject application.
From a strategic perspective, the PIER Pilot Program shifts key decision making earlier in U.S. prosecution and provides Applicants with an opportunity to review (or revisit) PCT work product before committing to U.S. examination. This may lead to:
Federal Register notice (discussing the PIER Pilot Program): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/09/2026-06903/pct-informed-examination-request-pilot-program.
USPTO form PTO/SB/478 for response to the RFI: (not yet available but expected soon at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/forms).
For any questions regarding the PIER Pilot Program or any U.S.-related patent or trademark matters, please contact Mark Scott or a member of the Laine IP U.S. Team.
Intellectual property rights are an important part of a company’s operational planning and activities, generating added value for the business. Creating this value requires that protection is directed at the right matters and at the right time in order to gain a competitive advantage and enable risk management. A preliminary novelty search and a FTO analysis are therefore important tools for managing a company’s intangible assets.
A patentable invention must be new and inventive in relation to the prior art, meaning publicly available information. This public information includes all types of public disclosures in addition to patent applications and granted patents, such as journal articles, trade fair brochures, and video recordings. As the name suggests, a preliminary novelty search is used to assess whether an invention is new. The search uses databases that include not only patent publications and applications but also scientific articles. In particular, analyzing granted patents and patent applications requires interpretation and understanding of text that is specific to the patent field. With the help of a professional, even non-obvious similarities can be identified in the search. In the analysis, the features of the invention are compared with the prior art, and to meet the novelty requirement it is sufficient that the invention contains at least one new technical feature. On the other hand, novelty may be prevented by features that appear implicitly in a reference publication—features that are not explicitly mentioned but can be inferred as part of the solution described in that reference.
A preliminary novelty search includes the analysis of public information that relates closely to the invention, highlighting differences and similarities and thereby indicating how these should be taken into account in product development in order to avoid problems related to intellectual property rights. Companies often know how their inventions differ from the products of their main competitors, but a novelty search helps identify possible obstacles to patenting. Therefore, the search should be directed at the right targets by identifying the core invention and its key features. If necessary, the novelty search can be expanded into a patentability search, in which inventiveness is assessed in addition to novelty. Inventiveness requires a significant difference compared to the prior art, using analytical models commonly applied in the field to determine inventive step. However, the assessment of inventiveness varies from country to country, making it more challenging to evaluate than novelty.
A FTO analysis is a search used to determine whether a product can be commercialized freely without infringing a granted patent or a pending patent application. While a preliminary novelty search compares the client’s invention to all publicly available information, an FTO analysis focuses on the actual product or method and potential product infringements. In an FTO analysis, the scope of protection defined by the patent claims of granted patents and pending patent applications is examined.
It is advisable to assess freedom to operate before launching a product—preferably during product development. In particular, the analysis should ideally be conducted before the prototype stage so that the company can ensure that competitors do not have patents or pending applications that could hinder its activities. Conducting a FTO analysis can help avoid infringing others’ patents while also building confidence in bringing one’s own product to market. The analysis thus provides an advantage by helping identify the product’s market position in light of competitors’ patents. Commissioning an FTO analysis may also help avoid patent infringement litigation in court, which can require significant company resources such as time and money.
Did this topic raise questions? Don’t hesitate to contact our experts!
The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has announced that official fees for patents, trade marks and registered industrial designs will increase as of 1 April 2026. This marks the first significant fee adjustment at the UKIPO in many years. The fees have not increased since 2018 for patents, 2016 for designs and 1998 for trade marks.
Fees will increase by an average of 25%. The increase is most significant for patent related fees, at about 33% on average. The fees for trade marks and registered designs will be increasing by about 23% on average. The fee increase concerns both filing fees and renewal fees.
This will affect many of our client’s who, partly due to Brexit, owns national rights in the United Kingdom. In cases where renewal fees are due soon after the fee increase, we recommend paying the fees before 1 April 2026 so as to save on maintenance costs.
The new fee tables can be accessed here.
If you have any questions regarding this, please contact one of our patent or trade mark attorneys.
Laine IP Oy has been awarded the Age Certificate in recognition of our work to promote age diversity and equality. The certificate is granted by Excellence Finland, and for us it is a valued acknowledgment that our responsibility efforts are reflected in our everyday practices.
In our line of work, experience, new ways of thinking and continuous learning go hand in hand. It is important to us that our workplace includes professionals of different ages and at various stages of their careers. A diverse age structure brings broader perspective to our work and strengthens our ability to serve our clients with high quality.
In our daily work, this is especially visible through knowledge sharing: our more experienced experts guide and mentor younger colleagues. In this way, tacit knowledge, practical experience and best practices are passed forward, and younger professionals gradually grow into experienced experts in the field. At the same time, we ensure that our expertise remains strong in the future.
Applying for the Age Certificate was a natural part of our responsibility work. We want to ensure that every employee has equal opportunities to develop, learn and build a long-term career, regardless of age or life stage.
The certificate is an important recognition for us — but above all, it is a thank you to our people. A skilled, supportive, and multi-generational workplace is the foundation of our operations today and in the future.
Any questions? Please contact our sustainability lead Kathy Wasström
”A trusted advisor dedicated to building lasting client relationships”
”Always a step ahead”
”Commercially astute”
”Alive to business concerns”
”Boasting profound legal knowledge”
These are just some of the comments given by our clients and peers accross the world about our services. We have nothing to add but our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed!
Laine IP Oy maintained the Silver ranking in the WTR1000 2026 survey. Our recommended individuals are:
We are grateful of your trust and our promise is to push even further to help our clients to succeed!
When talking about patenting, attention these days is often focused on utilizing AI and on new digital technologies.
At the same time, patenting is constantly solving issues that combine science, business and a very specific regulatory environment, where it might not be enough to rely on interpretations by AI.
In the fields of chemistry and biotechnology, many limitations on patenting relate to technical character and ethics – exclusive rights are not granted to discoveries found in nature, or to methods for maintaining life.
In Europe, the methods of treatment themselves cannot be patented. Surgical, therapeutic and certain diagnostic methods applied directly to human patients or animals are excluded from patent protection. Patents are therefore not granted for methods used, for example, by a physician when treating a patient. The aim is to ensure that the work of healthcare professionals is not restricted by patents.
Instead, patent protection may be obtained, e.g., for:
• pharmaceuticals and medicinal products
• new uses for known substances such as pharmaceuticals
• medical devices and many diagnostic solutions
Whether an invention is described as a product or a method of treatment is often crucial.
There is typically more freedom on the cosmetic side, but the distinction between cosmetic and therapeutic use of a product can be surprisingly challenging.
Also in diagnostics, there are similar challenges related to borderlines. Methods that directly target the patient, including all diagnostic steps, may fall outside the scope of protection, while laboratory analyses, equipment, and test systems are typically patentable.
In biotechnology, one key issue is the technical character of the invention. Purely biological crossbreeding and selection, generally, does not enjoy patent protection in Europe. Similarly, discoveries, such as naturally occurring agents, cannot be protected as such. However, biological material that has been isolated from nature may be patentable, since biotechnology-related patents generally cover technically controlled solutions that utilize microbiological or genetic engineering techniques. A component isolated from the human body or produced by means of a technical process, such as a gene sequence or partial gene sequence, may be patentable. In addition, inventions concerning plants or animals are patentable if their application is not technically confined to a single plant or animal variety. In inventions related to the field of biotechnology, there is also a specific requirement that the biological material be deposited in an approved depositary institution. This measure ensures the reproducibility of the invention. It is possible to request a sample from the deposited material.
When it comes to biotechnology, ethical considerations often have to be taken into account. It is good to be aware that not all biological material of human origin or its use, for example, can be protected, at least not without precise boundary conditions.
In chemical and biotechnology inventions, very formal details can determine whether protection is available at all. Therefore, in these areas, patent strategy goes hand in hand with technical understanding and knowledge of industry-specific regulation.
Well-designed protection supports product development, investor discussions and international growth and ensures that valuable innovation protects exactly what it should.
Any questions? Please contact Kathy kathy.wasstrom@laineip.fi or Jasmin jasmin.kaivola@laineip.fi
Business Finland opened the Sprint funding call in early 2026 for small companies with a new innovation and strong potential for rapid international growth. Launched as a pilot, Sprint funding is primarily intended as a first R&D funding instrument for new companies, as well as for established companies seeking significant business growth and renewal through the development of a new innovation. The call is open until August 31, 2026.
Sprint funding is granted to projects that develop new and innovative solutions and assess their technical feasibility, customer demand, and market potential. The maximum amount of funding is EUR 100,000. Applicant companies are required to secure at least EUR 50,000 in equity investment. You can find the detailed funding criteria and instructions for applying on Business Finland’s website.
The funding can be used for studies, plans, and initial applications related to industrial property rights. Purchased expert services are accepted as project costs. It is important to note that only purchases and work for which a written agreement or order has been made after submitting the funding application can be approved for the project. Feel free to get in touch—we are happy to assist with, for example, patentability assessments, freedom-to-operate analyses, drafting patent applications, and trademark prosecution.
Any questions? Please contact Viivi Ruusila at viivi.ruusila@laineip.fi or +358407217919
Qatar has officially brought the Nice Agreement into force on February 10, 2026, after depositing its instrument of accession with WIPO in November 2025. This means that all trademark applications, including new applications and those under examination, will be in accordance with the 11th edition of the Nice Classification. Class headings and broad patent claims covering all goods and services in a class will no longer be accepted, and lists of goods and services must be drawn up strictly in accordance with the accepted classes and acceptable terminology.
Therefore, applicants and trademark holders should ensure that all lists of goods and services are carefully drafted and consistent with the applicable classification and the requirements of the new practice, in order to avoid procedural objections or delays in processing the application.
Any questions? Do not hesitate to contact our trademark teamlead Reijo Kokko at reijo.kokko@laineip.fi / 0440704779
Sustainability, for us, starts with the people. It is more than a mere principle – it consists of the actions we make every day. We want to offer a workplace where everyone feels supported, respected, and able to grow. Taking care of our team, and encouraging open, honest communication, helps us build trust and a shared sense of purpose, both inside the company and with the clients and partners we work with.
We also believe that long-term success comes from finding a healthy balance between our operations, the well-being of our employees, and the impact we have on the planet. We have always tried to make thoughtful choices that reduce our environmental footprint and improve the way we work, step by step. At the same time, we have aimed at running a stable and responsible business that can support our people and our customers over the long term.
By bringing the well-being of our employees and the environment into our everyday decisions, we hope to create value that lasts—for our team, our clients, and our community.
To help us with these targets, we began using Ecovadis a little bit more than a year ago. After learning how to use this sustainability rating system in a way that suits us, we have now obtained a Sustainability report, and an Ecovadis Bronze medal, that we feel very proud of.
More information from our Green Office team: go@laineip.fi or Kathy Wasström: kathy.wasstrom@laineip.fi
It is time to summarise the results of the 2025 Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) rankings for Laine IP Oy. The year 2025 has been the most successful in our firm’s history.
The following experienced professionals at Laine IP received individual MIP Star recognitions:
In addition, MIP acknowledged the following experts with a Rising Star distinction:
The Rising Star recognition is awarded to emerging top professionals who have demonstrated exceptional expertise and dedication in the field of intellectual property.
We are especially proud that Kathy Wasström was named Practitioner of the Year 2025.
In addition to the individual recognitions, Laine IP Oy was awarded Trademark Firm of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Laine IP also retained its top-tier rankings in the firm-level categories for both Patent Prosecution and Trademark Prosecution.
Managing Intellectual Property’s IP Stars research is the most comprehensive and influential analysis of the global IP profession, evaluating leading IP practitioners across more than 70 countries. The research is based on extensive market analysis, client feedback, and peer reviews, assessing both the volume and the quality of work handled by each firm.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our clients for their trust, continued collaboration, and valuable feedback in industry surveys. Competition in our field is intense, and your feedback is essential in helping us continue to improve our services. These recognitions reflect our commitment to high-level expertise and personalised service—values that guide our work every day. These honours are a testament to our collective effort and to our mission: helping you protect and develop your innovations, enabling your business to thrive.
Laine IP Oy
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