Resources are available for New York residents to help inventors and entrepreneurs learn more about protecting their intellectual property. Patent Center Overview provides details on how to file an application in Patent Center.Quick Clinic Video Series. The patentability of repurposed compounds will depend on the specifics of your situation. Your best bet would be to ask a patent attorney. The use of compound XYZ in the manufacture of a treatment for malaria. Your lawyer will use an agile approach to file a patent application to protect your initial ideas.