BioMelbourne Network
Progressing BioIndustry
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property (IP) laws have been the driving force for innovation and progress within the biotechnology industry. The biotechnology industry as we know it did not exist prior to the landmark Supreme Court decision of Diamond v. Chakrabarty of 1980. The court held that anything made by the hand of man was eligible for patenting. Since this decision, the biotechnology industry has flourished and continues to grow.
The patent system fosters the development of new biotechnology products and discoveries, new uses for old products and employment opportunities for many Australians. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the biotechnology arena. Patents add value to laboratory discoveries, providing incentives for private sector investment into biotechnology development of new medicines and diagnostics for treatment and monitoring of intractable diseases, and agricultural and environmental products, to meet global needs.
Visit the links below to learn more about intellectual property in biotechnology, both in Australia and abroad.
BioMelbourne Network Members
Australian Links
Australian Centre for Intellectual Property in Agriculture
Australian Patent Attorney Directory
International Links
United States Patent and Trademark Office
