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Patentability of antibodies for therapeutic use in Europe

Nature Biotechnology volume 36, pages 402–405 (2018)Cite this article

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General guidelines are presented on the types of patent protection available for inventions arising from research in the field of monoclonal antibodies, using concepts drawn from European case law and expert practice.

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References

  1. European Patent Office. European Patent Convention, 15th edn (European Patent Office, 2013).

  2. Ballester Rodé s, A. et al. (eds) Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office 8th edn, 275–278 (European Patent Office, 2016).

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  3. Eli Lilly & Co. v. Human Genome Sciences Inc., C-493/12 (2013).

  4. European Patent Office. Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office 747–749 (European Patent Office, 2017).

  5. Art. 53(c) EPC.

  6. Arts. 54(4) and 54(5) EPC.

  7. EPO Board of Appeal decisions: T499/88 (EP59598: Immunoglobulins/Unilever), T36/90 (EP 676642: Tumor cells/Bogoch), T906/91 (EP 198179: Monoclonal antibody to theophylline/DuPont).

  8. EP 0865448 (12 June 1997).

  9. EPO Board of Appeal rulings: T355/92 (EP 193880: anti-FSH antibody (Boehringer Mannheim), T510/94 (EP 125722: Monoclonal antibody OKT5/ORTHO).

  10. Ballester Rodés, A. et al. (eds) Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office 8th edn. 201–203 (European Patent Office, 2016).

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  11. EPO Board of Appeal decision T1212/97 (EP1125023: Immunoglobulin preparation/Genentech).

  12. Art. 83 EPC.

  13. European Patent Office. Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office 689–691 (European Patent Office, 2012).

  14. Art. 56 EPC.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Claudio Germinario is at Società Italiana Brevetti, Rome, Italy.,

    Claudio Germinario

  2. Patrizia Rampinelli and Maurizio Cini are in the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Sara Bertoli, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,

    Sara Bertoli, Patrizia Rampinelli & Maurizio Cini

Authors
  1. Claudio Germinario
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  2. Sara Bertoli
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  3. Patrizia Rampinelli
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  4. Maurizio Cini
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrizia Rampinelli.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Germinario, C., Bertoli, S., Rampinelli, P. et al. Patentability of antibodies for therapeutic use in Europe. Nat Biotechnol 36, 402–405 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.4134

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