Pharmaceuticals Division 
CIBA-GEIGY 
CIBA-GEIGY Corporation 
Ardsley, NewYork 10502 
Telephone914 478 3131 
September 28, 1976 
Donald S. Fredrickson, M.D. 
Director 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 
Dear Dr. Fredrickson: 
Since CIBA-GEIGY USA does not conduct any form of recombinant 
DNA research it is difficult to comment on the question of patent 
applications in this area as requested in your letter of September 7. 
Molecular biology, including recombinant DNA research, is included in 
our research planning and we are studying both the guidelines and the 
patent aspects. As we develop firm positions in this area we will 
communicate these to you. 
Meanwhile, the consensus of the interested parties of our research 
and development is that safety in the conduct of recombinant DNA research 
and development covered by the guidelines be kept a separate issue from 
patent policy. We believe that patent policy in the antibiotics field 
sets a useful precedent for formulating patent policy relative to genetically 
. transformed micro-organisms and we are much in favor of the liberalization 
of government contracts to universities. The Institutional Patent Agree- 
ment made with Stanford and the University of Alabama appears to be suitable 
for the field of recombinant DNA research. This patent policy would insure 
protection to those capable of carrying out such research safely and should 
help to implement such regulations as may be devised in the future. 
Among the modifications suggested on page 3 of your letter of 
September 7, we would favor option number 5 and I am enclosing an opinion 
from our Patent Department on this part of your letter. We hope that 
these preliminary observations will be of help to the National Institutes 
of Health in formulating patent policy relative to recombinant DNA research. 
Sincerely, 
KJB; jr 
Enel. 
K. J. Brunings 
Senior Vice President 
cc: Dr. G. deStevens 
Dr. Hansjdrg Heller 
Mr. K. Webb 
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