FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE

Introduced: January 1980

Description

C12P covers biotechnological and enzymatic synthesis processes used to produce desired chemical compounds, compositions, or to resolve racemic mixtures into optically pure isomers. This subclass encompasses fermentation-based chemical manufacturing, enzyme-catalyzed reactions for organic synthesis, and bioconversion processes across pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and industrial compounds. It includes microbial fermentation for metabolite production, recombinant enzyme applications, and biocatalytic transformations, but excludes processes primarily directed at beverage production (beer, wine, spirits, vinegar) which are covered separately within C12. Related processes involving genetic modification of organisms for enhanced bioproduction fall within C12N.

Additional Content IPC

Glossary

Microorganism microorganisms comprises single-celled organisms such as bacteria, actinomycetales or single-celled fungi, e.g. yeasts; for the purposes of classification, this term also includes viruses, human, animal or plant cells, protozoa, tissues and unicellular algae.

Application references

Treating dough with microorganisms Processes for treating foods or foodstuffs with microorganisms Production of methane by anaerobic treatment of sludge Preparation of fertilisers characterised by a composting step Fermentation processes for beer production Fermentation processes for wine making Fermentation processes for preparing alcoholic beverages other than wine and beer Pasteurisation, sterilisation, preservation, purification, clarification, ageing of alcoholic beverages involving enzymes Removal of alcohol from alcoholic beverages Preparing vinegar by fermentation of starting materials Processes of preparing enzymes DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification

Of 23 combined children, 21 exist in both systems.

2 codes are CPC-only extensions.

Note: 2 CPC extensions are marked as secondary classification only.

7 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.

Child Classifications

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C12P 1/00 Preparation of compounds or compositions, not provided for in groups C12P3/00 - C12P39/00, by using microorganisms or enzymes since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 11/00 Preparation of sulfur-containing organic compounds since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 13/00 Preparation of nitrogen-containing organic compounds since 1980 +5 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 15/00 Preparation of compounds containing at least three condensed carbocyclic rings since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 17/00 Preparation of heterocyclic carbon compounds with only O, N, S, Se or Te as ring hetero atoms (C12P13/04 - C12P13/24 take precedence) since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 19/00 Preparation of compounds containing saccharide radicals (ketoaldonic acids C12P7/58) since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 21/00 Preparation of peptides or proteins (single cell protein C12N1/00) since 1980 +1 CPC −1 IPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 2201/00 Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis 2nd only CPC only CPC only
C12P 2203/00 Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source 2nd only CPC only CPC only
C12P 23/00 Preparation of compounds containing a cyclohexene ring having an unsaturated side chain containing at least ten carbon atoms bound by conjugated double bonds, e.g. carotenes (containing heterorings C12P17/00) since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 25/00 Preparation of compounds containing alloxazine or isoalloxazine nucleus, e.g. riboflavin since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 27/00 Preparation of compounds containing a gibbane ring system, e.g. gibberellin since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 29/00 Preparation of compounds containing a naphthacene ring system, e.g. tetracycline (C12P19/00 takes precedence) since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 3/00 Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 31/00 Preparation of compounds containing a five-membered ring having two side-chains in ortho position to each other, and having at least one oxygen atom directly bound to the ring in ortho position to one of the side-chains, one side-chain containing, not directly bound to the ring, a carbon atom having three bonds to hetero atoms with at the most one bond to halogen, and the other side-chain having at least one oxygen atom bound in gamma-position to the ring, e.g. prostaglandins since 1980 +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 33/00 Preparation of steroids since 1980 +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 35/00 Preparation of compounds having a 5-thia-1-azabicyclo [4.2.0] octane ring system, e.g. cephalosporin since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 37/00 Preparation of compounds having a 4-thia-1-azabicyclo [3.2.0] heptane ring system, e.g. penicillin since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 39/00 Processes involving microorganisms of different genera in the same process, simultaneously since 1980 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C12P 41/00 Processes using enzymes or microorganisms to separate optical isomers from a racemic mixture since 1985 +4 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC

Top Applicants

Top Applicants (IPC)

Class C12,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 10,330
HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 7,308
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 6,383
JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 5,144
MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY US 4,121
PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL US 3,630
REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS US 3,515
CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE) FR 3,499
INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE) FR 3,371
CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION KR 3,361

Top Applicants (CPC)

Class C12,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 8,321
CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 7,486
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 7,320
REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS US 5,003
INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE) FR 4,292
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA US 4,213
CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE) FR 4,113
JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 3,961
ROCHE CH 3,792
ILLUMINA US 3,692