Just to provide another perspective, at MSK we file patents on technologies like medical devices in order to protect IP and to ultimately outlicense. Before we file a patent, we evaluate the technology and the market. Once we move forward with patent protection, in parallel, we work on a technology development/marketing plans. Depending on the technology and market some technologies are licensed quickly, while others its harder. Again if there are not the proper resources/funding available to move the technology forward it is hard to keep up on patent protection. A provisional filing is around $3-$10k depending on the complexity of the technology and converting to PCT in filing internationally can be upwards of $100K to prosecute the patent. Since patent protection is covered by our office we have to evaluate during the conversion, if the market is there and there are potential licensees. If not we will decide not to convert or in other cases where we have already converted to PCT and nationalized in multiple countries we evaluate during the technology development and marketing and if it has been several years or companies have passed we will then abandon the patent (stop paying maintenance fees) in order to stop incurring past costs. Since we are a hospital/research facility we wouldn’t necessarily stop a project, but our office would evaluate if we are paying for IP protection, because if we aren’t expected to get a return, we aren’t going to be reimbursed for patent costs so that may “Kill” the invention. Overall if the market isn’t there, that would “Kill” a technology because at the end of the day we are looking to get a ROI.