Trilateral Project 24.1-Biotechnology 089

Where a pathogenic viral antigen protein is used as a vaccine or an analytic reagent, its distinctiveness is extremely important for the said use.

Consequently, if it is self-evident which part of the amino acid sequence described in the claim creates an epitope, and if the part is distinctive and defined by the number of amino acids which is more than minimum to function as an epitope, the enablement requirement may be satisfied.

However, with regard to vaccines, such conditions as immunogenecity are required in addition to the above-mentioned conditions. Thus, when the claim of a "polypeptide" is substantially directed to the one used for a vaccine, the enablement requirement is generally not satisfied because the "polypeptide" could not be used as a vaccine solely with the above-mentioned conditions.