We study the blocking effect of patents on follow-on innovation by others. We posit that follow-on innovation requires … freedom to operate (FTO), which firms typically obtain through a license from the patentee holding the original innovation …. Where licensing fails, follow-on innovation is blocked unless firms gain FTO through patent invalidation. Using large …

This paper is concerned with exploring the implications of replicability issues over the medical innovation process … institution governing the testing effort. Research and innovation policy implications are discussed. …