The patent term for a drug ends after 20 years from which date?

The patent term for a drug ends after 20 years from which date?

• A. 20 years from the date of patent application filing
• B. 15 years from grant
• C. 10 years after FDA approval
• D. 25 years from filing

Answer: (A)

Patent duration starts when the patent application is filed, and the standard term is 20 years from that filing date. The clock runs from filing, not from grant or FDA approval, and while regulatory delays can lead to extensions, the baseline 20-year term is counted from the filing date. So the term ends 20 years after the patent application is filed; the other options don’t align with when the protection clock begins or with the standard duration.

Patent duration starts when the patent application is filed, and the standard term is 20 years from that filing date. The clock runs from filing, not from grant or FDA approval, and while regulatory delays can lead to extensions, the baseline 20-year term is counted from the filing date. So the term ends 20 years after the patent application is filed; the other options don’t align with when the protection clock begins or with the standard duration.