Mere Admixture

1Any substance obtained by a mere admixture cannot be regarded as an invention if it results only in the aggregation of the properties of the components. Similarly, a process for producing such a substance shall not be regarded as an invention. A mixture of different kinds of medicines, forming a cocktail of drugs, to cure multiple diseases will not be a patentable invention. For instance, a composition of two drugs, ie, Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) and Ibuprofen for curing fever and pain or a process of preparation thereof, will not be patentable as the composition is a mere admixture of two drug components resulting in an aggregation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions of their respective components. But a distinction has been drawn with regard to admixture resulting in synergistic properties. The Patent Office does not consider an admixture which results in unexpected results or synergistic properties as a ‘mere’ admixture and may regard such mixtures to be patentable. (See Manual of Patent Practice and Procedure, Patent Office.)