Knoll: analysis of patenting 1993 - 1996

Abstract

Knoll, the pharmaceutical element of BASF, has a patent portfolio focusing on neurologicals, principally excitatory amino acid antagonists. Much of the Group's pharmaceutical patenting, however, is in the name of BASF and relates to chemical processes and formulations. The Knoll name, previously used mainly on medical use inventions, now appears on applications from the former Boots site in the UK which makes a substantial contribution to the discovery programme. Joint patenting as such is rare, but US-based inventors contribute significantly to biotechnology aspects of research.