Even ignoring the fact that they block a whole permutation space around the drug, this sounds completely nuts to me: > The company which applies for a patent m

Even ignoring the fact that they block a whole permutation space around the drug, this sounds completely nuts to me: > The company which applies for a patent makes a general claim for the usage of the molecule without revealing to their competitors the exact molecule for which they are declaring a useful application Isn't that against the very point of a patent? That you reveal (make "patent") what you're doing to the public so that the art isn't lost, in exchange for some form of commercial protection? How in the world is this legal?