Patent exclusive intellectual property

Patent and intellectual property aspects—Patent protection in Switzerland lasts for 20 years, with the possibility of a 5-year extension with a supplementary protection certificate (SPC). Also of interest is that the initial applicant has 10-year exclusivity protection for new active substances, new routes of administration and/or new dosage forms. 

While Affymetrix s early entry into the DNA microarray market afforded it a formidable position, the company has competitors. In order to commercialize the in situ array, it became clear that access to certain intellectual properties, especially the Southern patent (Oxford Gene Technologies or OGT), was required. Affymetrix obtained a license through a business relationship with Beckman Coulter which originally held the first and exclusive Southern license and later relinquished its exclusivity. Beckman Coulter and Affymetrix entered into a joint venture with Array Automation LLC to automate the processing of Affymetrix chips. Now that license to the Southern technology is available from OGT, others are permitted to commercialize in situ microarrays by alternative chemical S5mthesis approaches. 

Barriers to Imitation How is the idea protected from imitation by competitors Is it protected by intellectual property law through patent, copyright, or trademark If not, is it difficult to imitate by its nature How so Is it difficult to reverse engineer Is it protected as a trade secret Are there unique, exclusive sources of components or other supplies Are unique labor inputs required to develop, maintain, support, and extend the product or service ... 

In practicing intellectual property law, one may work to define and protect the intellectual property created by another, or seek to limit the scope of protection claimed by another in order to maintain the unfettered use of subject matter that is already in the public domain or not adequately described in a patent. Thus, one involved in a career involving intellectual property law participates in promoting the progress of science and useful arts by securing for limited times, to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. (Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, U.S. Constitution.)... 

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