No.11: The protection of the genomic information in the patent system

Abstract

With the development of genome/post-genome research, the genomic information such as a gene sequence, an amino acid sequence and a data of three-dimensional structure of protein is becoming more and more important because the genomic information is necessary for the genomics-based drug discovery, for example in computer-screening method. The current patent system dose not allow the genomic information to be protected although they are important for the genomics-based drug discovery. This article explains the actual status of the protection of the genomic information in the patent system, and discusses this issue.