Formulation Patents and Dermatology and Obviousness

Most patents covering dermatologic products contain patent claims directed to the pharmaceutical formulation of the product. Such patents, known as formulation patents, are vulnerable to attacks based on the legal argument that the formulations covered are obvious over formulations already known pri...

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Main Authors: Josephine Liu, Michael A. Davitz, Dan-Feng Mei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2011-11-01
Series:Pharmaceutics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/3/4/914/
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author Josephine Liu
Michael A. Davitz
Dan-Feng Mei
author_facet Josephine Liu
Michael A. Davitz
Dan-Feng Mei
author_sort Josephine Liu
collection DOAJ
description Most patents covering dermatologic products contain patent claims directed to the pharmaceutical formulation of the product. Such patents, known as formulation patents, are vulnerable to attacks based on the legal argument that the formulations covered are obvious over formulations already known prior to the filing of the patent application. Because obviousness is an important concept in patent law, recent court cases concerning obviousness and formulation patents were examined and discussed below. Courts have ruled that patent claims are obvious when features of the claimed formulation are found in the prior art, even if the features or characteristics of the formulation are not explicitly disclosed in the prior art. However, patentees have successfully overcome obviousness challenges where there were unexpected results or properties and/or the prior art taught away from the claimed invention.
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spelling doaj.art-ba535c5fd1434efeb578c59c39a8e3482022-12-22T04:10:32ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232011-11-013491492210.3390/pharmaceutics3040914Formulation Patents and Dermatology and ObviousnessJosephine LiuMichael A. DavitzDan-Feng MeiMost patents covering dermatologic products contain patent claims directed to the pharmaceutical formulation of the product. Such patents, known as formulation patents, are vulnerable to attacks based on the legal argument that the formulations covered are obvious over formulations already known prior to the filing of the patent application. Because obviousness is an important concept in patent law, recent court cases concerning obviousness and formulation patents were examined and discussed below. Courts have ruled that patent claims are obvious when features of the claimed formulation are found in the prior art, even if the features or characteristics of the formulation are not explicitly disclosed in the prior art. However, patentees have successfully overcome obviousness challenges where there were unexpected results or properties and/or the prior art taught away from the claimed invention.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/3/4/914/patentsformulationobviousness
spellingShingle Josephine Liu
Michael A. Davitz
Dan-Feng Mei
Formulation Patents and Dermatology and Obviousness
Pharmaceutics
patents
formulation
obviousness
title Formulation Patents and Dermatology and Obviousness
title_full Formulation Patents and Dermatology and Obviousness
title_fullStr Formulation Patents and Dermatology and Obviousness
title_full_unstemmed Formulation Patents and Dermatology and Obviousness
title_short Formulation Patents and Dermatology and Obviousness
title_sort formulation patents and dermatology and obviousness
topic patents
formulation
obviousness
url http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/3/4/914/
work_keys_str_mv AT josephineliu formulationpatentsanddermatologyandobviousness
AT michaeladavitz formulationpatentsanddermatologyandobviousness
AT danfengmei formulationpatentsanddermatologyandobviousness