Laws and Regulations for the Protection of Biotechnological Inventions

Microbiological processes and the products thereof are patentable. In this connection, &quote;products&quote; means the metabolic products of the microorganisms, the microorganisms themselves, and ingredients of the microorganisms, particularly genetic material. In addition to fulfilling the general requirements for obtaining patent protection, it is necessary in the field of microbiology to deposit the microorganism. It is undisputed currently that depositing is essential in many cases as a means for identification, disclosure, and the possibility of copying inventions in the microbiological field. Apart from this, modern genetic engineering now makes it possible to identify microorganisms with increased accuracy. Particularly in cases of genetic modification, an exact description can be provided by giving the genetic code, so that it is no longer necessary in such cases for the organisms to be deposited.