Regulation & Compliance

Royalties from inventions are distributed according to the Penn Patent Policy, which includes shares for the inventor(s), further research in the inventor(s)’ labs, schools and reinvestment in further research and technology development at the University.

Failure to disclose an invention can result in the loss of patent rights (under general patent laws) and other severe consequences, including financial penalties for non-compliance with Bayh-Dole regulations. Timely disclosure is critical to protecting your rights and the university’s interests.

The key requirements include disclosing inventions, electing whether to retain title to the inventions, filing for patent protection, regular reporting to the funding agency and ensuring that the products developed from these inventions are manufactured in the United States when possible.

Any organization that receives federal funding for research and development must comply with the Bayh-Dole Act. This includes universities, government-funded laboratories, and businesses.

The Bayh-Dole Act is the federal legislation that allows universities, small businesses, and non-profits to own inventions made with federal funding. It aims to promote the commercialization of these inventions to benefit the