On September 15, 2026, at the invitation of Tongji University School of Intellectual Property, the IP team of Concord & Sage LLP visited Tongji University and delivered a special lecture for examiners from the Patent Examination Cooperation Fujian Center. The event focused on U.S. patent filing, examination, and IP dispute practice.

Speakers & topics

• Sunyong Tang, Of Counsel and U.S. patent attorney — “U.S. Patent Examination Through the Lens of Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 Patent Family.” He traced the patent family’s evolution from molecules and delivery methods to formulation optimization, and explained key U.S. prosecution mechanisms, including restriction requirements, continuation applications, examiner interviews, RCEs, Rule 132 evidence, and terminal disclaimers. He also discussed how Office action responses, claim strategy, and prosecution history affect later claim stability and litigation boundaries.

• Zhiwei Hua, litigation attorney — “U.S. Federal Court Litigation and IP Disputes.” He introduced the U.S. federal court system, jurisdiction and venue rules, attorney admission, and case filing preparation, and outlined key offensive and defensive tools in IP disputes, including preliminary injunctions, service, discovery, pretrial motions, and trial on the merits. Drawing on declaratory judgment and reverse preliminary injunction cases, he shared strategies for companies facing malicious patent complaints in cross-border e-commerce and overseas operations.

• Ying Zhou, patent consultant — “U.S. Patent Filing Through the Lens of China-U.S. Patent System Differences.” Drawing on her experience as a former Chinese patent examiner and long-term corporate IP professional, she compared the two systems in areas such as provisional applications, publication and examination, grace periods, restriction requirements, and divisional applications. She also shared practical insights on U.S. patent drafting, subject matter eligibility, functional limitations, and Office action response strategies, with case examples on claim design, amendment space, and filing quality/efficiency.

During the exchange session, examiners held in-depth discussions on China-U.S. examination differences, patent drafting, prosecution coordination, and responses to overseas IP disputes. The discussion was active and well received.

Concord & Sage LLP focuses on cross-border IP legal services. Our team includes professionals with U.S. and China practice qualifications, patent agent qualifications, and industry backgrounds, with extensive experience in U.S. patent filing, patent dispute resolution, and cross-border e-commerce IP protection. We will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with universities and professional institutions, share international IP practice experience, and support Chinese innovators in their global development.