Supreme Court Restricts Scope of Patent Infringement on Exported Components

The Supreme Court ruled to limit the reach of patent protections on single components of a multicomponent product exported for manufacture abroad, reversing an appellate court decision in a unanimous ruling.

Exporting a single component of a patented product — such as a drug or device — does not constitute infringement, the high court said, after reviewing a case involving Life Technologies and Promega.

Federal patent law prohibits companies from supplying “all or a substantial portion” of a patented product, but shipping one part of the product does not hold a company liable for infringement, the decision said.