Drug giants Sanofi and Pfizer each claimed that it had first dibs on patenting a segment of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
Who did have first dibs turned on the date when each of them not only isolated the DNA sequence but also "appreciated" what it had isolated. Sanofi-Aventis v. Pfizer Inc., No. 12-1345, slip op.
Russian scientists come up with a way to make an ozone-friendly agent that helps prepare materials useful in making units that store hot or cold. They tell the American company that hired them about the results of their study. And the U.S. firm starts using the process that their Russian colleagues discovered.
Does the U.S. outfit qualify