2408 Term of Deposit [R-07.2022]
37 CFR 1.806 Term of deposit.
A deposit made before or during pendency of an application for patent shall be made for a term of at least thirty (30) years and at least five (5) years after the most recent request for the furnishing of a sample of the deposit was received by the depository. In any case, samples must be stored under agreements that would make them available beyond the enforceable life of the patent for which the deposit was made.
The term of deposit must satisfy the requirements of the Budapest Treaty which sets a term of at least 30 years from the date of deposit and at least 5 years after the most recent request for the furnishing of a sample of the deposit was received by the depository. In the event that the 30-year term of deposit covers the 17-year term or 20-year term of the patent (see MPEP § 2701) plus 6 years to include the Statute of Limitations, no further requirement is necessary. Unless applicant indicates that the deposit has been made under the Budapest Treaty, applicant must indicate the term for which the deposit has been made. The mere possibility of patent term extension or extended litigation involving the patent should not be considered in this analysis.
In the event that the 30-year term of deposit measured from the date of deposit would necessarily terminate within the period of enforceability of the patent (the patent term (see MPEP § 2701) plus 6 years to include the Statute of Limitations), samples must be stored under agreements that would make them available beyond the enforceable life of the patent for which the deposit was made. No requirement should be made as to any particular period of time beyond the enforceable life of the patent. The purpose of the requirement is to ensure that a deposited biological material necessary for the practice of a patented invention would be available to the public after expiration of the patent for which the deposit was made. The term of the deposit must comply with the requirements of each sentence of 37 CFR 1.806 whether or not the deposit is made under the Budapest Treaty. A specific statement that the deposit would be stored under agreements that would make them available beyond the enforceable life of the patent for which the deposit was made is required only where the 30-year term of deposit would terminate within the enforceable life of the patent.
