We've noted that substantial numbers of newly published PCT applications,
about 60 each week, are now showing therapeutic classifications from the
A61p subclass. This mark came into use with the 7th edition of the IPC at
the beginning of the year, but initially numbers were very low (we actually
made the mistake of thinking they were typographical errors!). There are 22
groups (odd numbers from 1 thru 43) and 148 sub-groups, most being simple
first-level subdivisions of the group hierarchy. It looks like a useful,
pragmatic classification to us, though a lot depends on how carefully the
Examiners apply it - it's meant to be a secondary classification, but
already there are a couple of instances of A61p as a main class.
Our comments on this development appear, along with related invention news,
on the front page of Current Patents Gazette 0025, published on Thursday
June 22nd, and you can see this (every week) by clicking on the scrolling
NEWS panel top right of our home page:
http://www.current-patents.com
We would be very pleased to hear comments on this and other improvements
featuring in the 7th IPC.
Peter Steele
Managing Director, Current Patents Ltd
Middlesex House, 34-42 Cleveland Street
London W1P 6LB, UK
Tel: +44 20 7323 0323 - direct 7631 9194
Fax: +44 20 7580 5646
E-mail: peter.steele@cursci.co.uk
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