International Depositary Authority of Canada (IDAC)

The International Depositary Authority of Canada (IDAC) is a patent depository for microorganisms that has been made possible by Canada's accession to the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Micro-Organisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (the Budapest Treaty) on September 21, 1996.  In addition, amendments to the Canadian Patent Act and Patent Rules to ensure conformity with the Budapest Treaty came into effect on October 1, 1996.

Prior to October 1, 1996, biological deposits were not recognized by statute in Canada for patent purposes.  Consequently, Canadian inventors seeking patent protection were forced to make deposits of biological material in other countries, mainly in the United States.

Depository Services

The IDAC accepts the following biological material for deposits relating to patent purposes:

1. animal viruses
2. risk groups 1, 2, and 3 bacteria;
3. all bacteriophages;
4. all mammalian cell lines;
5. all cloned genes;
6. fungi;
7. hybridomas;
8. yeasts;
9. plasmid vectors;
10. phage vectors;
11. libraries; and,
12. other rDNA material.

PLEASE NOTE:

The IDAC only accepts deposits that can be preserved by freezing or lyophilization without significant change to their properties. Deposits that cannot be preserved by these methods, or can be maintained only in active culture, may be accepted on an individual basis, with prior negotiation of associated fees and other considerations.

As required under the Budapest Treaty, the IDAC accept deposits of microorganisms, test their viability and issue a certificate of deposit.  The IDAC maintains and disseminates such material, in compliance with the restrictions in the Budapest Treaty and Canadian patent legislation, for a period of 30 years.

For detailed information, please click here:  IDAC-eng.pdf

Fees

Under the conditions of the Budapest Treaty, all depositors must be treated equally.  Consequently, there can be no exemptions from, or reductions to, the fees for the deposit of microorganisms with the IDAC.  The fee schedule (as of February 2006) is as follows;

PATENT DEPOSITORY FEE SCHEDULE*
Viability Testing	$200
30 Years Storage	$800
30 Years Notification	$500
5 Additional Years of Storage (beyond original 30 years)	$125
Furnishing of Samples	$50 (+Shipping)
Attestation	$50
Communication of Scientific Description to 3rd Party	$50

*Please contact the International Depository Authority of Canada for updated fee schedules  prior to submitting samples

Contact Information

Shaun Tyler, Manager - International Depository Authority of Canada 
1015 Arlington Street
Winnipeg, Canada  
R3E 3R2
Phone: (204) 789-6030
Fax: (204) 789-2018
Email: Shaun_Tyler@phac-aspc.gc.ca

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