According to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), ‘biologics’ means ‘any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use’. Related fields are bioengineering, biomedical engineering, biomanufacturing, molecular engineering. The application of patent law to biotechnological inventions has to deal with a number of particularities. Are biological materials mere ‘discoveries’, and therefore not patentable or man-made ‘inventions’? Limitations to patent rights, in particular a research and experimental use exception, have been considered important for innovation.
Two research scientists, involved with the synthesis of a compound which formed the basis of a patented heart imaging agent, brought what is the first ever successful action under Section 40 of the Patents Act 1977, arguing that the patents are of outstanding benefit to their employer, and as such, they are entitled to a…
In this judgment the Court of Appeal considers the appellant’s claim for invalidation of the patent inadmissible as he did not call the co-proprietor of the patent to join the proceedings. While considered valid on substantive grounds, the claim in question needs to be rephrased to fulfill the industrial applicability. As nullity of the patent…
The degree of effectiveness of the invention (here: the removal of prion proteins) is an issue related to the technical problem solved by the invention. This is to be considered when assessing inventive step, and is thus not relevant for sufficiency of disclosure. As the invention is sufficiently disclosed in the specification, the fact that…
