Commentary
The "real world" barriers and solutions to Candida vaccine patent prosecutions: An analysis of US Patent and Trademark Office actions on related applications
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Pages 1443 - 1449
http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/hv.21184
Keywords: biotech, double patenting, enablement, indefiniteness, novelty, obviousness, patent prosecution, utility, written description
Authors: Shyh-Jen Wang
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Abstract:
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) adopts recent patent courts’ opinions (such as KSR In re Fisher and Ariad v. Lilly) in patent examinations, which would certainly create barriers to biotech patent prosecution. To identify the barriers to Candida vaccine patent prosecution, we analyzed 99 US-granted patents from January 2001 to May 2012 related to Candida vaccines. The rejections were based on factors that included obviousness, novelty, indefiniteness, double patenting, enablement, written description and utility. Based on this investigation, we find that some of these rejections were actually avoidable, and then further provide workable solutions to avoid some of the barriers, especially those related to patentability. These principles recited in this study should also be applicable to other fields of vaccines and immunotherapeutics.
Received: June 13, 2012; Accepted: June 20, 2012; Published Online: August 16, 2012
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