International Patent Behavior of Nine Major Agricultural Biotechnology Firms
Abstract
This paper examines the international patent behavior of nine
major firms for seven patent authorities: Australia, Brazil, Canada,
China, the European Patent Office (EPO), Japan, and
South Africa. The patent sample is based on firms having an initial
US patent application; this provides an indication of the
amount of technology transfer that occurs from the United
States to other countries. Using patent data, the research examines
the correlation of firms' patent application decisions based
on crop and invention types, the differences in the patent grant
rates among the patent authorities, and firms' decisions to pursue
patent renewals. The analysis uses empirical evidence to
justify possible reasons for the lack of observing much technology
transfer from the United States to other countries. Australia,
Canada, and the EPO are most likely to receive patent applications.
Corn and soybean and gene and method inventions are
most likely to be applied for abroad. Approval rates are generally
low and vary among patent offices.
Citation
AgBioForum, 9(1) 2006: 59-68.