Subject: Inclusion of modelers on synthetic compound patents

From: "David Maxwell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 9:31 -0600

Dear CCL Members,

What determines inclusion of molecular modelers on a synthetic compound patent?

Our group is working a list of guidelines that would outline what is needed for
molecular modelers to be included on a synthetic compound patent.  Obviously, it
should be fair to the modelers, the synthetic chemists, and other contributors. 
The guidelines should not just allow the modelers to claim everything that came
up in a 10-minute database search.  On the other hand, it should allow for
inclusion of a modeler if that person came up with the scaffold or contributed
significantly to modifications based on evidence from various modeling programs. 
 Most modelers that I know don't actually go the lab and sythesize compounds. 
Should this be reason enough to exlude us from the compound patents, since we
can't formally carry out our ideas.  I don't think so, and I have to believe
that other modelers would agree.

Please e-mail me with any opinions you have on this topic.  I will summarize.

David Maxwell
Senior Scientist
Biophysics Group
Texas Biotechnology Corp.

[email-masked]