The Process of Patenting
There are two ways in which TTO becomes informed about innovative research results and ideas that lend themselves to being translated to new products and services. Many scientists approach the TTO because they are familiar with its services, and in addition, TTO managers regularly meet with management teams of divisions and departments within VUmc and VU university.
It is important to note that, as an employee of VU or VUmc, you are obligated to report to TTO any discoveries that may be commercialized. This is stipulated in the collective labor agreement (CAO), and is also provided for in patent legislation. Discoveries made by employees of universities and their medical centers are the legal property of the employer, and TTO has been given the exclusive right by the board of directors of VU and VUmc to apply for patents and exploit them.
The reason for this approach is that Education and Research are the ‘assets’ of the VU and VUmc. Technology transfer offices are established to legally protect these assets and to exploit them further. TTO therefore protects the interests of the VU and VUmc, and thus the interests of all researchers. TTO administers the intellectual property of the VU and VUmc and arranges for licenses to external partners. In addition, a regulation has been drafted which will allow researchers to share in the profits.
The process of evaluating your discovery begins with an intake meeting, through an Invention Disclosure Form in which your findings are disclosed. We then perform an extensive evaluation of the patent database and have a novelty search performed, while you rigorously evaluate the scientific literature. We also perform a market evaluation: patenting discoveries for which market opportunities appear hard to find serve no purpose. In addition, we evaluate which validating research still has to be performed to support the initial findings.
If a decision is made that indeed there is a marketable opportunity, we will file a patent and then work with you in identifying the best way to the market place.
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