The living world: how to protect plant and animal inventions?

The rigorous assessment of the patentability of living matter is explained by the ethical considerations involved. While the patentability of inventions involving the human body and its derivatives is strictly assessed (see Le vivant: méthodes de traitement, corps humain... que peut-elle breveter? [FIC 1645] ), inventions involving plants and animals must also be subject to a specific approach.

This fact sheet describes the patentability of inventions relating to :

• animals ;

• plants and plant varieties ;

• biological production processes.