As the name would imply, trade secrets constitute a unique competitive advantage possessed by a company that must remain under wraps and diligently protected at all times. The problem is, many companies lack of full understanding of the trade secrets that could be, or already are, in their IP portfolios.

In an era of increasingly globalized commerce, some of the most significant issues and challenges facing the intellectual property community have international roots. As a result, it is crucial for regulators to come together across borders to promote common interests. With that idea in mind, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently formalized a permanent Patent Prosecution Highway with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office.

Business managers understand the variety of benefits associated with a deep and diversified intellectual property portfolio. But according to Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News columnist Tom Tuytschaevers, companies could well be sitting on more patentable inventions than they realize.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced the debut of its After Final Consideration Pilot program in alignment with its ongoing efforts to increase collaboration between the patent review board and applicants while streamlining the prosecution process.

With patent defense playing such a crucial role in the intellectual property arena, it can be hard to tell whether legal factors are shaping business decisions or company tactics are influencing litigation strategies. In fact, patenting decisions made in the past few decades have led to a reversal of the traditional cause-and-effect relationships many companies lend credence to.

Time, money and brand equity are just a few of the important resources that companies dedicate to the domain of trademark management. But while the natural inclination is to defend these hard-earned intellectual property rights at all costs, overzealous enforcement could do more harm than good.

The Track One Prioritized Patent Examination Program represents one of the clearest signs of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's renewed commitment to efficiency. Approximately six months after the program's enactment, intellectual property experts are beginning to develop a more complete perspective on how this innovative approach is being applied in the field.

The implications of intellectual property management decisions are looming large in the pharmaceutical industry as a number of major manufacturers approach patent expiration dates on some of their most widely-distributed medications. According to analysts from Frost & Sullivan, the next several months will represent a critical period for smaller competitors as a rare market opportunity arises for producers of biosimilar drugs.

It would be hard to understate the importance of the America Invents Act, as it represents the first major overhaul of the U.S. patent system in several decades. Before the majority of the proposed changes go into effect next year, companies should be weighing several important considerations in the interim.