House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) reintroduced Thursday the Innovation Act, a patent reform bill aimed at reducing predatory patent litigation, also known as patent trolling. An earlier version, originally introduced by Goodlatte in 2013, was passed by the House but pulled from the Senate agenda last year. But the legislation, as written, runs the risk of "undermining the ability of legitimate patent owners to commercialize their inventions and enforce their patent rights against infringers," Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Chairman Jim Greenwood said. While BIO supports reforms to "reign in abuse patent enforcement practices," Greenwood added, efforts to accomplish that "must be done in a way that preserves the patent-based incentives necessary to sustain our nation's global leadership in biotechnology innovation and the creation of high-wage, high-value jobs throughout our country."

The FDA posted a Federal Register notice reopening the public docket to solicit comments on certain topics related to the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2012 implementation and the GDUFA Commitment Letter that accompanies it. The comment period will be open for an additional 30 days.