Table 2.
Survey results on public availability of biological patent sequences from patent offices in 2011
| Jurisdiction | Public availability of sequence listings | Format provided | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Sequence listings can be accessed through AusPat (http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/auspat/), or from WIPO through PatentScope (http://www.wipo.int/patentscope/en/) if through the PCT route. | Mostly in pdf format | Since 1978 |
| Belgium | Access is through a paid service of 0.36 euro per (scanned) page. | Scanned images | Since 2005 and only from granted patents |
| Bulgaria | Sequence listings are provided only as a part of a patent or application. It is a paid service. | Scanned pdfs | Since September 1, 2007 |
| Canada | Electronic files and scanned images of sequence listings are available on the internet from the Canadian Patents Database (CPD). There is no fee applicable for the retrieval of files. | Multiple formats | Since October 1, 1996 and maintains full records |
| Chile | No available sequence listings yet. | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| China | Some sequence listings are available as part of patent documents. | Mostly in pdf and scanned images | No response |
| Czech Republic | A sequence listing is made available as part of the patent document (grant or published application), which can be accessed online free of charge (http://isdv.upv.cz/portal/pls/portal/portlets.pta.formular?lok=en). | Unsearchable pdf files | Since 1991 |
| Denmark | As of July 13, 2011, Danish patent office had 5 granted patents with sequence listings and 25 published applications with sequence listings. | Unsearchable scanned copies | Since 1987 and maintains full records |
| Estonia | Available as part of the patent publication. | Multiple formats | No response yet. |
| Eurasian Patent Organization | Published Eurasian applications and patents may be viewed in EAPO Gazette and on EAPO website (http://www.eapo.org), or via the Eurasian information system EAPATIS. Access to EAPO Gazette is free; access to EAPATIS is free only in guest mode. | Scanned copies | Since 1996 for patent applications and 1997 for grants |
| Finland | Accessible online (http://patent.prh.fi/patinfo/default2.asp?Etsi1=Etsi / Search). Only searchable by application number. | pdf format | Since 2013 for patent applications |
| France | Sequence listings are part of the description in French patent documents. They are accessible at http://fr.espacenet.com. | pdf format | Since 1978 for patent applications and 1989 for granted patents |
| Germany | Granted patents and published patent applications as of 1991 may be researched through the office's website (http://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=einsteiger). | Computer searchable | Since 1991 with full records kept |
| Great Britain | Sequence listings are published with a patent application as it becomes open to the public inspection on the publication date. | Multiple formats | Since 2006, but sequence listings were accepted well before this date |
| Greece | Sequences are provided as part of patent documents and by a formal request. This is a paid service in a case-by-case decision of the Administrative Council of the Industrial Property Organization. | Multiple formats | Since 1988 for patent applications |
| Hungary | Sequence listings of all published patent applications are available online (http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/English/ IP-SEARCH – patents). | Searchable pdf format | Since January 1, 2003 with records kept |
| Iceland | If a sequence listing forms part of the issued patent or the application, a paper copy of the list is joining the document and available upon request. | pdf format | Since 1984 with full records kept |
| Ireland | The office only provides the specifications disclosed. The sequences therein are not independently obtainable. | Scanned images | Since 1970 for granted patents and since 1991 for applications |
| Israel | Sequence listings are not published along with the patent. | Not applicable | Not available to the public |
| Japan | JPO provides gazettes for granted patents and published patent applications via the Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL; http://www.inpit.go.jp/english/distri/ipdl/). Also, JPO deposits sequence listings in DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ). | Multiple formats | |
| Liechtenstein | See responses from Switzerland. | ||
| Republic of Lithuania | Sequence listings present in patent specification are available on internet together with the whole specification (espacenet and http://www.vpb.lt/index.php?l=en&n=333). | Scanned images but no computer readable files | Since 1994 for full-text grants and since January 1, 2010 for applications |
| Korea | Sequence listings are provided as part of patent documents as bulk download. | Multiple formats | |
| Netherlands | Sequence listings form part of the patent dossier and are public from the day the patent is signed in and granted (http://register.octrooicentrum.nl/register/zoekformulier). | pdf or tif image | |
| Peru | Available on internet for the years 2000–2006 at Indecopi (http://www.indecopi.gob.pe/0/home.aspx?PFL=0&ARE=0). | pdf format | There is no registry of the patent applications and/or patents that have sequence listings, but there is a registry for biotech patents |
| Poland | A sequence listing is made available as part of the granted patent document only and can be accessed either by official request or online (http://pubserv.uprp.pl/PublicationServer/index.php?strona=index). | pdf format | Since 1990 |
| Portugal | A copy of the granted patent (or the published patent) that contains the sequence listings can be provided upon request. | pdf format | No response yet |
| Romania | Patents containing sequence listings are published within 4 months after the grant (http://bd.osim.ro/cgi-bin/invsearch8). | Multiple formats | No response yet |
| Russia | Information regarding nucleic and amino acid sequences is available only within the description of issued patents. | Scanned copies | No information |
| Slovak Republic | Sequence listings available online (http://www.indprop.gov.sk/?introduction). | pdf format | No response yet |
| Slovenia | Available online (http://www3.uil-sipo.si/PublicationServer/). | pdf format | Since 1992 |
| Spain | Sequence listings can be obtained from published patent documents. | Scanned image | No response yet |
| Switzerland | Available via espacenet or searchable online (http://www.swissreg.ch). | pdf and scanned images | Since 1995 |
| Taiwan | Available as part of patent specifications or published application specifications from the patent search database. | Scanned image | From May 1, 2003 |
| Turkey | Available as part of patent documents. | Scanned image | Since 1995 for applications and issued patents |
| USA | Available online as part of patent documents, as downloadable bulk, and deposits in GenBank. | Multiple formats | Since 1982 for grants and 2001 for applications |