Making up lost time: patent term adjustments in Mexico

Patent protection is a cornerstone of innovation, providing owners with a 20-year term of exclusivity to capitalise on their inventions. However, the exclusivity starts from the legal filing date, often making the effective protection period shorter due to delays in patent prosecution. During the prosecution of patent applications in many countries, delays not always attributable to the applicant can occur. In Mexico, there were no mechanisms such as patent term adjustment (PTA) to recover time lost due to administrative delays at the Mexican Patent Office until recent years. This article delves into the evolving landscape of PTAs in Mexico.