Which of the following factors is NOT a bar to patentability?

The correct answer is based on the fact that experimental results obtained after filing a patent application do not serve as a bar to patentability. When a patent application is filed, it establishes a priority date for the claimed invention, allowing the applicant to continue to conduct experiments or gather data related to that invention. Any findings that emerge after the filing date can potentially be included in subsequent applications or as data in support of the original filing, but they do not affect the patentability of the invention as it existed at the time of filing.

In contrast, abandonment of the invention, prior public knowledge, and publication of research results can all create bars to patentability. Abandonment occurs when an applicant fails to pursue their patent rights, which can lead to loss of rights. Prior public knowledge refers to the situation when the invention is known in the public domain before the applicant files for a patent, making it unpatentable due to lack of novelty. Similarly, if research results are published before the patent application is filed, they can disclose the invention to the public, which may render it unpatentable due to lack of novelty or non-obviousness.

Therefore, the intrinsic nature of experimental results obtained post-filing allows them to remain part of the ongoing