Patent problems with

If the production of vinyl chloride could be reduced to a single step, such as dkect chlorine substitution for hydrogen in ethylene or oxychlorination/cracking of ethylene to vinyl chloride, a major improvement over the traditional balanced process would be realized. The Hterature is filled with a variety of catalysts and processes for single-step manufacture of vinyl chloride (136—138). None has been commercialized because of the high temperatures, corrosive environments, and insufficient reaction selectivities so far encountered. Substitution of lower cost ethane or methane for ethylene in the manufacture of vinyl chloride has also been investigated. The Lummus-Transcat process (139), for instance, proposes a molten oxychlorination catalyst at 450—500°C to react ethane with chlorine to make vinyl chloride dkecfly. However, ethane conversion and selectivity to vinyl chloride are too low (30% and less than 40%, respectively) to make this process competitive. Numerous other catalysts and processes have been patented as weU, but none has been commercialized owing to problems with temperature, corrosion, and/or product selectivity (140—144). Because of the potential payback, however, this is a very active area of research. 

A problem with the early MWD mud pulse systems was the very slow rate of data transmission. Several minutes were needed to transmit one set of directional data. Anadrill working with a Mobil patent [100] developed in the early 1980s a continuous wave system with a much faster data rate. It became possible to transmit many more drilling data, and also to transmit logging data making LWD possible. Today, as many as 16 parameters can be transmitted in 16 s. The dream of the early pioneers has been more than fulfilled since azimuth, inclination, tool face, downhole weight-on-bit, downhole torque, shocks, caliper, resistivity, gamma ray, neutron, density, Pe, sonic and more can be transmitted in realtime to the rig floor and the main office. 

Solid-phase sorbents are also used in a technique known as matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD). MSPD is a patented process first reported in 1989 for conducting the simultaneous disruption and extraction of solid and semi-solid samples. The technique is rapid and requires low volumes (ca. 10 mL) of solvents. One problem that has hindered further progress in pesticide residues analysis is the high ratio of sorbent to sample, typically 0.5-2 g of sorbent per 0.5 g of sample. This limits the sample size and creates problems with representative sub-sampling. It permits complete fractionation of the sample matrix components and also the ability to elute selectively a single compound or class of compounds from the same sample. Excellent reviews of the practical and theoretical aspects of MSPD " and applications in food analysis were presented by Barker.Torres et reported the use of MSPD for the... 

The major problem with the intravenous route in children is dosing errors. Because of the unavailability of stock solutions prepared for pediatric doses, errors in dilution of an adult stock solution have resulted in 10- to 20-fold errors in administered doses [87,88], A secondary problem is the maintenance of patent intravenous lines in infants and nonsedated children. 

Let me emphasize the magnitude of the problem with a simple example. I was once asked to estimate the number of compounds covered by a typical issued patent for a drug of commercial interest. The patent that I selected to analyze was for enalapril, a prominent prodrug ACE inhibitor with a well-established commercial market. Given the parameters as outlined in the patent covering enalapril, an estimation of the total number of compounds included in the generic claim for enalaprilat, the active... 

The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed mainly in response to widespread public concern about contaminated meat and other food, but patent medicines with dubious contents and misleading labels were also a significant problem. Among its other provisions this law required that any narcotic ingredients in a patent medicine be disclosed, and prohibited unwarranted claims of curative powers. 

The standardization of this type of measurement in ISO TC 45 came to a grinding halt as a result of problems with ASTM copyright, possible patent issues, lack of verification of the applicability of the standard test conditions and the need to make the document applicable to instruments from different manufacturers. It looks like a prime case of where a standard should be written in the form of a guide because the procedure and test conditions will vary according to the particular production situation and problems. 

Benziger (Ref 60) reports in his patent that the problem with the above procedure is the prodn of amm chloride as a contaminating by-product. 

Then on further reflection he thought, Maybe it would be smarter just to amend the claim by removing the cancer aspect. He didn t seem to have any problem with the migraine stuff I can leave out the cancer part of the claim and get the rest of the claim issued and just file a continuation and keep after the cancer indication in the continuation application—sooner or later I ll wear him down. That way, he gets what he wants and I get my patent before the end of the year review period. That s what I call a win-win situation ... 

Dr. David Johnson (1975-1982). Of all my senior managers, Dave Johnson was the one who knew most about organic chemistry and synthesis. He was a hard-driving chemist with a nose for practical solutions to process development problems. Being a student of Professor John Sheehan, his knowledge of (3-lactam chemistry was extensive. Indeed he was called on to represent Bristol-Myers in its many patent battles with Beecham in which Bristol-Myers staked out its own patent position covering ampicillin and amoxicillin trihydrates.8... 

Recently published reports of ZSM-20 syntheses include evaluations (20.21) of the patent examples of Ciric (1) and Valyocsik (12) investigations of the role of gel structure and composition (22.) and studies of pressure and temperature effects (22.). The procedures used by Ciric and Valyocsik are outlined in Figure 1, and illustrate the potential problems with reproducibility in the former case. 

---