Syntroleum announces USPTO inter partes review of claims of Neste '094 patent

Syntroleum Corporation announced the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision issued on September 4 instituting an inter partes review, or IPR, of all claims of Neste Oil's U.S. Patent No. 8,212,094. This decision follows Syntroleum's filing in March 2013 of its IPR petition challenging the validity of the '094 patent. The PTO found that "there is a reasonable likelihood that Syntroleum would prevail with respect to claims 1-20 of the '094 patent" based on the information presented. Neste may file its response to Syntroleum's petition, including any motion to amend the '094 patent, by November 4. Syntroleum can then respond to Neste's submissions by January 6, 2014. Subsequently, the parties will have an opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and prepare for oral argument, now scheduled for April 1, 2014. Shortly afterward, the PTO will issue a final decision on the validity of the '094 patent claims.