The U.S. Department of Commerce opened a formal review of Harvard University’s federally funded patents, warning the university it may exercise rare 'march‑in' powers under the Bayh‑Dole Act. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s letter to Harvard President Alan Garber accuses the university of failing to meet obligations tied to federally funded research and signals possible federal licensing or intervention. Intellectual‑property lawyers and university tech‑transfer officials say an actual march‑in would be unprecedented and set a consequential precedent for commercialization incentives at research universities. Patent attorneys warn businesses and campus tech‑transfer offices to expect heightened scrutiny and potential chilling effects on licensing negotiations if the government moves beyond review to action.