Welcome to Marks & Clerk’s new series of articles regarding the nature and role of data in the patent system. This current article is intended to serve as an introduction to the series, explaining why data is important, and to give a taster as to what readers may expect from future articles.
Did you know that the word orangutan derives from the Malay language where “orang hutan” literally means “man of the forest”? You might wonder how this links to biofuel and to exciting Cambridge start-up HutanBio. But the word “hutan” is used in the same way in HutanBio’s company name, a reference to their use of algal “forests” to make biofuel.
Last year, our colleague Peter Youle wrote about the pitfalls of parameters in patent claims. Whilst small molecules are typically claimed using structural features and formulae, these are usually unsuitable for defining a polymer. Instead, parameters, such as the weight average molecular weight (Mw), are frequently used to characterise polymers.
How do you tell the scientific story of Cambridge? It seems that the first resort for many, including the city’s famous punt guides, is to look to the impressive Nobel Prize tally of Cambridge scientists and alumni.
As we reported in early 2022, the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO are considering two pending referrals (G1/22 and G2/22) regarding the question of entitlement to priority. A hearing has now been set for 26 May 2023, and the Enlarged Board have now issued a preliminary opinion setting out the points to be discussed.
When you hear Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), you think Illumina Inc. However, the heart of Illumina’s nucleic acid sequencing technologies is sequencing-by-synthesis (SBS), a chemistry technology with a humble and fascinating backstory set in a Cambridge pub.
The world is looking to decarbonise, and hydrogen is poised to have a key role in the energy transition. Whilst hydrogen-based technologies have been around for many years, with the hydrogen fuel cell being invented in 1842 by Sir William Grove, there is an ever-growing interest in hydrogen technologies motivated by climate change concerns.
The General Court has recently issued a decision which serves as a reminder to ensure that trade mark protection is reviewed and refreshed where necessary to ensure registered marks provide the correct protection.
As we reported previously, the EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal is to consider the question of the admissibility of post-published evidence in the consideration of inventive step, in referral G2/21.