IPOS Introduces New Initiatives To Promote Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)

• Published date: 13 July 2026
• Subject Matter: Corporate/Commercial Law, Intellectual Property, Contracts and Commercial Law, Licensing & Syndication, Patent
• Law Firm: Spruson & Ferguson
• Author: Andrew Loh and Maik Brinkmann

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has announced a series of enhancements to the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) and Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) programmes aimed at improving access to accelerated patent examination in Singapore.

The following new initiatives will be rolled out in phases starting from July 2026.

New initiatives

1. Faster first office action timelines
   • For PPH requests submitted on or after 1 July 2026, IPOS will aim to issue the first office action within 6 months instead of the current 10 months from the filing date of the PPH request.
   • This enhancement reflects IPOS's efforts to align with international standards on expedited examination, while providing applicants with greater certainty and predictability in managing their prosecution timelines.

2. Simplified payment process
   • From 3 August 2026 to 31...