BioInvent International AB announced that the European Patent Office, EPO, has communicated its intention to grant the company a patent relevant to its unique, function-based F.I.R.S.T. platform. More precisely, the patent builds on earlier F.I.R.S.T. patents, extending protection to combined use of differential biopanning and high throughput sequencing, such as NGS in identification of antibodies to low expressed cell surface antigens. The European patent should be granted by the EPO once all remaining administrative actions have been completed by BioInvent. A corresponding patent was recently granted in Australia, and a patent as previously also been granted in Russia. The company has similar patent applications pending in further countries.