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Protecting rights to early-stage technology

Does the recent court decision invalidating the University of Rochester's 'method of treatment' patent herald a shift in policy indicating that such patents require successful testing of lead compounds?

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References

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  6. US Pat. No. 6,048,850 Claim 1 reads “A method for selectively inhibiting PGHS-2 activity in a human host, comprising administering a non-steroidal compound that selectively inhibits activity of the PGHS-2 gene product to a human host in need of such treatment.”

  7. Univ. of Rochester v. G.D. Searle & Co., Inc., No. 00-CV-6161L, 2003 US Dist. LEXIS 3030 (WDNY Mar. 5, 2003).

  8. The University of Rochester received a separate patent, US Pat. No. 5,837,479, issued from a related application directed to screening assays.

  9. 119 F.3d 1559, 43 USPQ2d (BNA) 1398 (Fed. Cir. 1997), cert. denied 523 U.S. 1089 (1998).

  10. 927 F.2d 1200, 18 USPQ2d (BNA) 1016 (Fed. Cir. 1991).

  11. 984 F.2d 1164, 25 USPQ2d (BNA) 1601 (Fed. Cir. 1993).

  12. Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, edn. 8, section 2138.05, (Aug. 2001).

  13. Synopsis of Application of Written Description Guidelines available at http://www.uspto.gov/web/menu/written.pdf.

  14. Hybritech Inc. v. Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc., 802 F.2d 1367, 231 USPQ 81 (BNA) 81 (Fed. Cir 1986), cert. denied, 480 U.S. 947 (1987).

  15. Association of University Technology Managers survey (2000).

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Shuster, M., Su, H. & Blaug, S. Protecting rights to early-stage technology. Nat Biotechnol 21, 701–703 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0603-701

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