Common use of Patent Committee Clause in Contracts

Patent Committee. The parties shall form a joint Patent Committee to review the preparation and prosecution of patents arising from the Target Research. The Patent Committee shall include a patent attorney designated by each party and the chemistry program head designated by each party. All patent applications arising from the Target Research shall be evaluated in accordance with the following process: (a) The designated patent attorneys from each party shall advise the Executive Committee on inventorship issues related to patents arising from the Target Research. (b) Unless otherwise agreed, patents and patent applications owned by one party shall be drafted, filed, prosecuted and maintained by the party that owns the patent rights, as provided in Section 3.3.1 at that party's expense. The Patent Committee shall decide which party will draft and prosecute joint patents in consultation with the other party: the expenses for the drafting and prosecution of such patent shall be shared equally between the parties. In all cases, each party shall keep the other party informed as to the status and progress of all relevant patents and patent applications; and shall draft, file, prosecute and maintain joint patents and patent applications in consultation with the other party. (c) If there is a dispute between Signal and Organon related to patents arising from the Target Research, including, without limitation, issues regarding patent claims, the scope of patent claims; and inventorship, the parties shall refer the matter to an independent patent attorney acceptable to both parties for resolution.