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The inquiry is being conducted under the march-in rights provision of the Bayh-Dole Act.
The university has been directed to respond by September 5, 2025 (Image: Reuters)
The ongoing conflict between Harvard University and the Trump administration escalated further on Friday, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced plans to launch an “immediate comprehensive review” of the university’s patents, Reuters reported.
In a formal letter addressed to Harvard President Alan Garber, Secretary Lutnick outlined the administration’s concerns about potential violations of federal law regarding the management of patents and intellectual property tied to government-funded research.
“We believe that Harvard has failed to live up to its obligations to the American taxpayer and is in breach of the statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements tied to Harvard’s federally funded research programs and intellectual property arising therefrom,” Lutnick wrote.
The inquiry is being conducted under the march-in rights provision of the Bayh-Dole Act, a 1980 federal law that permits the government to intervene when federally funded innovations are not being made available to the public. If Harvard is found to be in violation, by not disclosing or properly patenting its inventions, the administration could grant third-party licenses or even seize ownership of certain patents.
According to a senior administration official, the Harvard-held patents in question could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, spanning innovations in biotechnology, medicine, and engineering. The university has been directed to provide a complete accounting of all patents resulting from federal research grants by September 5, 2025.
A Harvard spokesperson, speaking to CBS News, denounced the investigation as politically motivated, calling it “yet another retaliatory effort targeting Harvard for defending its rights and freedom.”
The development is the latest chapter in a months-long standoff between the White House and the Ivy League institution. Just days earlier, Harvard President Garber denied reports suggesting the university had reached a monetary settlement over allegations of discrimination in order to restore its suspended federal research funding.
Meanwhile, other Ivy League institutions, including Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Brown University, have already agreed to settlements with the Trump administration, reportedly to regain access to crucial federal funding programs.
The investigation could have far-reaching implications for federally funded research across higher education, particularly at elite institutions that depend heavily on government-backed grants for innovation and development.
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