Joint Patents With respect to any potentially patentable Joint Invention, AstraZeneca shall have the first right, but not the obligation, to prepare patent applications based on such Joint Invention, to file and prosecute (including defense of any oppositions, interferences, reissue proceedings and reexaminations) such patent applications, and to maintain any Joint Patents issuing therefrom, in any jurisdictions throughout the Territory. FibroGen shall have the corresponding first right, but not the obligation, in any jurisdictions outside of the Territory other than China, in respect of which the China Agreement shall govern. If AstraZeneca determines in its sole discretion to abandon, cease prosecution or otherwise not file or maintain any Joint Patent anywhere in the Territory, then AstraZeneca shall provide FibroGen written notice of such determination at least thirty (30) days before any deadline for taking action to avoid abandonment (or other loss of rights) and shall provide FibroGen with the opportunity to prepare, file, prosecute and maintain such Joint Patent. The Party that is responsible for preparing, filing, prosecuting, and maintaining a particular Joint Patent (the “Prosecuting Party”) shall provide the other Party reasonable opportunity to review and comment on such prosecution efforts regarding such Joint Patent, and such other Party shall provide the Prosecuting Party reasonable assistance in such efforts. The Prosecuting Party shall provide the other Party with a copy of all material communications from any patent authority in the applicable jurisdictions regarding the Joint Patent being prosecuted by such Party, and shall provide drafts of any material filings or responses to be made to such patent authorities a reasonable amount of time in advance of submitting such filings or responses. In particular, each Party agrees to provide the other Party with all information necessary or desirable to enable the other Party to comply with the duty of candor/duty of disclosure requirements of any patent authority. Either Party may determine that it is no longer interested in supporting the continued prosecution or maintenance of a particular Joint Patent in a country or jurisdiction, in which case: (i) the disclaiming Party shall, if requested in writing by the other Party, assign its ownership interest in such Joint Patent in such country or jurisdiction to the other Party for no additional consideration; and (ii) if such assignment is effected, any such Joint Patent would thereafter be deemed a FibroGen Patent in the case of assignment to FibroGen, or a AstraZeneca Patent in the case of assignment to AstraZeneca; provided, however, that the disclaiming party would have an immunity from suit under such FibroGen Patent or AstraZeneca Patent, as the case may be, in the applicable country or jurisdiction. In addition, any Joint Patent that becomes a FibroGen Patent pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be excluded from the license granted to AstraZeneca in Section 7.1. Each Party shall bear its own internal costs in respect of the prosecution of Joint Patents. Out-of-pocket costs incurred in respect of the prosecution and maintenance of Joint Patents in the Territory shall be borne equally by AstraZeneca and FibroGen. In the event a Party elects to disclaim its interest in a Joint Patent, the costs incurred with respect to such Patent after the date of such disclaimer shall thereafter be borne exclusively by the other Party, without reimbursement or credit.
