FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                      PTO 96-17
CONTACT:  Richard Maulsby
    Lisa-Joy Zgorski
    (703)305-8341
                              
            PTO PUBLISHES NEW RULE TO LEAD WORLD
       IN PROCESSING BIOTECHNOLOGY PATENT APPLICATIONS
                              
The Commerce Department's Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) today
announced a proposed rule package aimed at simplifying the
processing of patent applications in the field of biotechnology.
In announcing the proposed rule package, published in the Federal
Register, Bruce A. Lehman, assistant secretary of Commerce and
commissioner of Patents and Trademarks stated, "The current manner
in which we are processing patent applications involving
biotechnology is complex, inconsistent, and outdated; these rule
changes will greatly simplify application filing procedure for
applicants and will assist the USPTO in its ability to efficiently
process an ever increasing number of biotechnology patent
applications."

This proposed rulemaking package represents a timely and needed
improvement in this specialized area which has not been reworked
since 1990, when PTO created the initial rules for filing
nucleotide and amino acid sequence information in machine readable
form.  The biotechnology field has evolved since 1990, when the PTO
issued its first rules for filing sequence information in
electronic form.  PTO rules formed the basis for international
standards established by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO). PTO is now simplifying and updating these
rules.

The PTO's proposed rule package, Changes Implementing Nucleotide and/or
Amino Acid Sequence Listings, states that Sequence Listings will be
presented in an international, language-neutral format using
numeric identifiers rather than subject headings.   The paper
version of the Sequence Listings will form a separately numbered
section of the patent application.  Sequences which contain fewer
than four specifically identified nucleotides or amino acids will
no longer be required to be submitted in computer readable form.
These changes will allow applicants to produce a single Sequence
Listing that will satisfy filing requirements in all countries.

For the next sixty days, PTO will accept written public comments, after
which time the comments will be reviewed and final rules
promulgated based upon adopted suggestions.  PTO is expected to
publish its final rules next year.

October 4, 1996                    ####