PTO should establish gene sequence search guidelines, SB counsel suggests.
Executive Summary
PTO, PATENT BAR SHOULD ESTABLISH GENE SEQUENCE SEARCH GUIDELINES, SMITHKLINE Beecham Associate Patent Counsel Herb Jervis remarked during an April 23 Patent & Trademark Office hearing on nucleic acid sequence patents. "There is no uniform searching procedure employed," the SmithKline Beecham counsel declared. "It would seem to me critical for the PTO and the patent bar, as appropriate, to establish some uniform searching guidelines."