FAQs

Patents are in force 20 years from the date of the first filing of the patent application. However, the duration of patents related to pharmaceutical products or medical devices can be extended provided that various conditions, which are prescribed in the Israeli Patent Act, are met. 

The Israeli Patent Term Extension (PTE) system is provided as a means of compensating a patent owner for patent term that was lost due to the need to obtain approval of a product by the regulatory authorities in Israel. 

The manner in which the duration / expiry date of PTEs in Israel is calculated is rather unique in light of its dependence on data pertaining to 6 other countries (the “Recognized Countries”). The 6 Recognized Countries, on the basis of which the duration / expiry date of Israeli PTEs is calculated, are the U.S., Italy, U.K., Germany, Spain and France.

The term of effect of an extension order shall not exceed five years beyond the normal patent term of twenty years from patent filing. 

Patent term extensions are available in Israel for certain pharmaceutical patents and for certain patents relating to medical devices.

Only the first registration of a medical preparation, which enables the use of its active ingredient in Israel for medical purposes for the first time, can give rise to a patent term extension opportunity in Israel. 

A PTE application should be filed in Israel no later than 90 days from the date of registration of the medical preparation in the Israeli Drug Registry. The due date for filing PTE applications in Israel is non-extendable.