Guidance

Examining patent applications for biotechnological inventions

These guidelines set out how we examine patent applications for biotechnological inventions under the Patents Act 1977.

• From: Intellectual Property Office
• Published: 6 May 2010
• Last updated: 30 August 2022
  Show all updates

  1. 30 August 2022

     Changes to paragraphs, 99, 100 and 101 due to the WIPO ST.26 sequence listings standard added which came into force from 1 July 2022.

  2. 27 October 2021

     An HTML document was published on 29 September 2021.

  3. 21 October 2016

     HTML publication added.

  4. 31 March 2016

     Examining patent applications for biotechnological inventions document updated.

  5. 6 May 2010

     First published.

Documents

Examining patent applications for biotechnological inventions

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Details

This guide covers:

• basic considerations
• claim construction
• relevant UK case law
• relevant decisions under the European Patent Convention
• trilateral project reports
• US Patent and Trademark Office guidelines on utility
• stem cell practice note
• amicus curiae brief