HUANG et al. V. PRASIT et al. - Page 25




          594-595, 44 USPQ2d at 1615.  Whether a practical utility has                
          been established for a novel compound is a question of fact.                
          Fujikawa v. Wattanasin, 93 F.3d at 1564, 39 USPQ2d at 1899.                 
               Huang argues that neither Dr. Huang nor Dr. Reitz needed               
          to be aware of the test results obtained by Monsanto employees              
          Koboldt, Veenhuizen, or Anderson for a reduction to practice                
          (Paper 51 at 20).  Huang argues that the testing of the                     
          Monsanto employees inures to the benefit of Dr. Huang and Dr.               
          Reitz.  According to Huang, each of the tested compounds was                
          reduced to practice as of the earliest date of successful                   
          testing for anti-inflammatory activity (Paper 46 at 23).                    
               Inurement involves a claim that, as a matter of law, the               
          acts of another accrue to the inventor for the purposes of                  
          establishing a reduction to practice.  Cooper v. Goldfarb,                  
          154 F.3d at 1331, 47 USPQ2d at 1904-05.  A non-inventor's                   
          recognition of the utility of an invention can inure to the                 
          benefit of the inventor if it can be established that:                      
               (1) the inventor conceived of the invention,                           
               (2) the inventor had an expectation that the embodiment                
          tested would work for the intended purpose of the invention,                
          and                                                                         
               (3) the inventor submitted the embodiment for testing                  
          for the intended purpose of the invention.  Genentech, Inc. v.              

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