In addition to granting patents on products such as drugs, DNA and antibodies, the Patent Offices will also grant patents to methods of doing things and processes for making things.
The claims of these patents will reflect the steps which are to be taken in the invention’s method or process.
Action patents
New ways of doing things or new ways of using known products can be patented by referring to the new actions which make up the invention, for example:
1. A method of reducing the rodent population in an area, the method comprising baiting the area with a rodenticide comprising digitoxin and banana extract.
Process patents
New processes are generally claimed by referring to the essential steps in the new process. For example:
2. A process for the preparation of an antibody-toxin conjugate, the process comprising the steps:
i. Reacting an antibody with a conjugating reagent to form an antibody-conjugating reagent moiety; and
ii. Reacting the antibody-conjugating reagent moiety with a toxin to form an antibodyconjugate-toxin complex, wherein the conjugating reagent is…
