Roche loses in Rifampin case

The issues in the Roche case were :101


The only issues on appeal are whether the aforementioned
primer claims and the method claims of the ’723
patent are patent-ineligible within the meaning of § 101.
Section 101 provides that “[w]hoever invents or discovers
any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or
composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement
thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the
conditions and requirements of this title.” 35 U.S.C.
§ 101. There are certain exceptions to this provision: laws
of nature, natural phenomena, and abstract ideas are not
patent-eligible subject matter. Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank
Int’l, 134 S. Ct. 2347, 2354 (2014) (collecting cases).



Roche lost.


Appellant Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. (“Roche”)
owns U.S. Patent No. 5,643,723 (“the ’723 patent”), titled
“Detection of a Genetic Locus Encoding Resistance to
Rifampin in Microbacterial Cultures and in Clinical
Specimens.” The United States District Court for the
Northern District of California found that the asserted
claims of the ’723 patent are directed to patent-ineligible
subject matter and are therefore invalid under 35 U.S.C.
§ 101. Roche appeals from a grant of summary judgment
of invalidity. We affirm.