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Inventor’s prior art patents and prosecution history lead to reversal of claim construction

In a recent decision, the Federal Circuit reversed a district court's grant of summary judgment of noninfringement and invalidity based on inadequate written description. The issue of infringement was reversed based on the district court's incorrect construction of a critical claim limitation. While the court held it was a "close case," it held the patentee […]

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En banc Federal Circuit reaffirms written description requirement is separate from enablement

Monday the Federal Circuit released its en banc opinion in Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Eli Lily & Co., where the court addressed whether 35 U.S.C. § 112 has a written description requirement separate and apart from the enablement requirement. A substantial majority of the court (10 judges) joined in the majority opinion, with two judges […]

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Specticles and Specifications

In April of last year, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit added another layer to the ongoing case between Revolution Eyewear, Inc. ("Revolution") and Aspex Eyewear, Inc. ("Aspex"). The decision primarily concerned the circumstances surrounding the reissue of Aspex's initial patent: whether the reissue was supported by 35 U.S.C. § 112; whether the […]

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Federal Circuit to consider whether a separate written description requirement exists in section 112

In an en banc order Friday, the Federal Circuit announced it will rehear Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Eli Lilly & Co. en banc to consider whether there is a written description requirement in § 112 separate and apart from the enablement requirement. Specifically, the questions presented are: Whether 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 1, contains […]

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When analyzing written description in interference, claims construed according to patent copied from

In a recent decision, the Federal Circuit reversed a district court’s grant of summary judgment in a ยง 146action brought after an interference proceeding at the USPTO. The district court agreed with the Board’s decision to award priority to the senior party in the interference, granting the senior party’s motion for summary judgment that its […]

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Disclosure of compounds without link to claimed method fails to meet written description requirement

In a recent decision, the Federal Circuit reversed a district court's denial of judgment as a matter of law after a jury determined the asserted claims of an invention were not invalid under the written description requirement. The court, however, affirmed the district court's determination of no inequitable conduct.The Federal Circuit held the jury lacked […]

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Federal Circuit hears arguments in In re Kubin; what will be obvious in biotechnology?

Thursday, the Federal Circuit held oral arguments in In re Kubin, a biotechnology case involving a patent over a gene sequence in humans, and specifically whether the claims were obvious. This was the first precedential decision by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences on the issue of obviousness in this field after KSR, so […]

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On appeal, BPAI cannot group claims that do not share a common reason for rejection

In a recent decision, the Federal Circuit affirmed a distirct court's vacatur of a decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. In an appeal of rejections in twelve different applications involving approximately 2,400 claims, the Board only addressed the rejection of 21 "represntative" claims pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.192(c)(7) [now 37 C.F.R. […]

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Disclosure of single antibody insufficient to describe genus of related antibodies

In a recent decision, the Federal Circuit affirmed the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences sustaining in part the examiner's final rejection of the broadest claim in an application, directed to methods of treating neurofibrosarcoma using monoclonal antibodies. The Board reversed the examiner's rejection of the claim for lack of enablement, but […]

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When factual inquiries underlying obviousness determination disputed, summary judgment improper

In a decision Friday, the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court's summary judgment of no anticipation, no invalidity for failure to comply with the written description requirement, and infringement, but reversed the district court's summary judgment of no invalidity based on obviousness. In an unusual procedural move, the parties stipulated that for the issues on […]

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