European Patent Office ruling on Novogen opens way for other isoflavones

摘要

The European Patent Office (EPO) has rejected arge parts of the Novogen patent claims, as priginally granted in 2004, for the use of isoflavone phyto-oestrogen extracts.The patent EP 0656786 was originally submitted to the EPO for approval in 1993.rnFollowing objections submitted by 10 European groups from Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK, and by Solbar (Israel), the EPO finally restricted claims, wherein the isoflavone phytoestrogen extract comprises genistein and daidzein (aglycones) from soybeans, and biochanin A or formononetin in red clover, "in a ratio of about 1:2 to 2:1."