Ladas & Parry is pleased to make this paper available on the Internet. This paper reviews recent developments at the European Patent Office (EPO) in a number of areas relating to chemical and biochemical patent practice and also note a few recent national decisions that have attracted attention. This paper was originally presented by John Richards, Partner, Ladas & Parry at a symposium earlier this year at Fordham University.

Subject Matter Issues

Medical Treatments

Biological Inventions

Novelty Issues
Obviousness Issues
Sufficiency of Disclosure Issues
Clarity of Claiming Issues
Microbiological Inventions
Issues Relating to Priority Claims
Amendment During Opposition Proceedings
The Free Flow of Goods Doctrine
Supplementary Protection Certificates

Extension to Agrichemicals

The problem of multiple "basic" patents

National Decisions
Validity