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Bilski v. Kappos: the US Supreme Court broadens patent subject-matter eligibility

The court narrowly ruled that business methods may be patent eligible, while striking down the primacy of its main test.

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Figure 1: Number of amicus briefs from biotech and pharma sector vis-à-vis Bilski v. Kappos.
Figure 2: Amicus briefs from biotech and pharma sector supporting or against Bilski machine-or-transformation test.

References

  1. Langer, E.S. Realistic expectations likely to prevail in 2010. Gen. Eng. News (March 1, 2010).

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  2. In re Bilski, 545 F.3d 943 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (en banc).

  3. Simmons, W.J. Nat. Biotechnol. 27, 245–248 (2009).

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  4. In re Bilski, 545 F.3d at 954.

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  6. Lab Corp. v. Metabolite (Fed. Cir. 2004).

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  8. Parker v. Flook, 437 US 584 (1978).

  9. Bilski v. Kappos, 561 US (2010) at 8.

  10. Association for Molecular Pathology et al. v. USPTO et al. 1:09 cv-04515 (SDNY).

  11. Prometheus Laboratories v. Mayo Collaborative Servs., 581 F.3d 1336 (Fed. Cir. 2009).

  12. 561 US (2010) - Kennedy, p. 9.

  13. 561 US (2010) - Kennedy, pp. 12–13.

  14. Diamond v. Chakrabarty 447 US 303 (1980).

  15. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_PetitionerAmCuNovartisCorp.pdf

  16. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_PetitionerAmCuCarisDiagnostics.pdf

  17. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_PetitionerAmCuGaBio.pdf

  18. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_PetitionerAmCuUnivofSFlorida.pdf

  19. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/09-10/08-964_PetitionerAmCuAChakrabarty.pdf

  20. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_NeutralAmCuPrometheusLabs.pdf

  21. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_NeutralAmCu2PersonalizedMedOrgs.pdf

  22. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_NeutralAmCuMedtronic.pdf

  23. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/08-964_NeutralAmCuPhRMA.pdf

  24. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/09-10/08-964_RespondentAmCuKEI.pdf

  25. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/09-10/08-964_RespondentAmCu2PharmCos.pdf

  26. http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/09-10/08-964_RespondentAmCu5MedicalGrps.pdf

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Acknowledgements

The views expressed are solely the author's and do not represent those of Sughrue Mion and its clients, and are subject to changes in the art and law. The author thanks An Kang Li and Stuart Levy for their cotributions.

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Correspondence to William J Simmons.

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Simmons, W. Bilski v. Kappos: the US Supreme Court broadens patent subject-matter eligibility. Nat Biotechnol 28, 801–805 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0810-801

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