MONSANTO - ANALYSIS OF PATENTING 1993-1996

The majority of Monsanto's pharmaceutical patents are filed in the nam e of Searle, and virtually all originate in the US. Following a period of decline, the level of patenting is now increasing sharply, so that the number of publications in 1996 is projected to exceed 100, includ ing several exceptionally long and detailed new compound inventions. N eurologicals and antivirals form the nucleus of Monsanto's patenting; various musculoskeletal projects are growing in importance, at the sam e time as cardiovasculars and antithrombotics decline. A sharply focus ed patenting policy results in applications being filed either in the US only, or in the maximum number of countries available via the PCT, there being roughly equal numbers of inventions in these two extreme c ategories.