§ Sir Trevor SkeetTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect that granting a patent upon combinatorial chemistry 3-Dimensional Pharmaceuticals will have on restricting the scope and availability of basic science research. [41980]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorMy officials in the Patent Office have been unable to identify any patent granted to an organisation called 3-Dimensional Pharmaceuticals. However, the grant of a patent would not prevent others from doing acts for experimental purposes relating to the subject matter of the invention. If that research were to lead to a new invention which fell within the scope of the patent, it would be necessary to obtain a licence under the patent before it could be commercialised. If the invention were such as to make a substantial contribution to the art and three years had elapsed since the grant of the patent, a licence could not be refused.