To optimize your scope of protection, it is key to know the prior art—the publicly available information on the subject of your patent—before deciding to file a patent application. The prior art will aid you in defining your invention in the most “unified” way possible. It may also influence the type of experimental data needed, such as comparative data with similar oligos already known in the field. Having generated and incorporated the right experimental data will strengthen the patentability of the oligo’s application because some countries do not even consider post data. Keep in mind that knowing the prior art upfront may also provide more insights as to your competitors’ (IP) activities!
Download the article below. This article was first published in BioVox Newsletter January 2017.