Legal Definitions - march-in rights

Definition: March-in rights refer to the government's authority to grant a new license or revoke an existing license for a federally funded invention if the owner or licensee has not adequately developed or applied the invention within a reasonable time.

For example, if a company receives federal funding to develop a new drug but fails to bring it to market within a reasonable time, the government may exercise its march-in rights and grant a new license to another company to develop and market the drug.

March-in rights are intended to ensure that federally funded inventions are used for the public good and not solely for the benefit of the patent owner or licensee. They provide a mechanism for the government to intervene if the owner or licensee is not fulfilling their obligations to develop and apply the invention.