Tag Archives: Patent Law

USPTO Guidelines Blur “Natural” And “Novel” Products

I seldom comment on fellow bloggers’ posts, but Kevin Noonan’s recent article in PatentDocs deserves some attention. He basically has taken the recent PTO Guidelines to their “logical” extreme. The Guidelines contain an example that suggests that the Myriad ruling … Continue reading

Posted in Patent Eligible Subject Matter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

PTO Releases Guidelines On Patenting “Natural Phenomena And Natural Products”

On March 4, 2014, Andrew Hirschfield, the Deputy Commissioner For Patent Examination Policy, released a “Memorandum” entitled “Guidance for Subject Matter Eligibility Analysis Of Claims Reciting Or Involving Laws of Nature/Natural Principles, Natural Phenomena, And/Or Natural Products” in view of … Continue reading

Posted in Patent Eligible Subject Matter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GlaxoSmithKline v. Banner Pharmacaps – Written Description Requirement 101

In a short opinion dated February 24, 2014 (App. Nos. 2013-1593, -94, -95, -98), a Fed. Cir. panel made short work of the defendants’ attempt to invalidate a Glaxo claim in U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,467, to dutasteride “or a pharmaceutically … Continue reading

Posted in Written Description Requirements (WDR) | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lightning Ballast II – Judge Lourie Tries to Get to “The Facts of the Matter”

After reading all 88 pages of this very scholarly opinion which left patent law right where it was post-Cybor – no matter how much weight the parties and amici felt stare decisis deserved – I went back and read Judge Lourie’s concurrence. It is mercifully … Continue reading

Posted in Claim Interpretation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment