How can an applicant demonstrate that a biological material deposit is not necessary?
This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
An applicant can demonstrate that a biological material deposit is not necessary by showing that the required biological materials can be obtained or created through routine procedures. The MPEP 2404.02 states:
“No deposit is required, however, where the required biological materials can be obtained from publicly available material with only routine experimentation and a reliable screening test.”
To demonstrate this, an applicant should:
- Provide detailed methods for obtaining or creating the biological material in the patent application
- Show that these methods involve only routine experimentation
- If applicable, cite publicly available sources for the material
- Describe any necessary screening tests and demonstrate their reliability
By doing so, the applicant can establish that the biological material is readily accessible without the need for a deposit.