Scientific America On Geron and Stem Cell Research Patents
Related News: Stem Cell CompaniesScientific America has a great article covering the rise of Geron in the stem cell research field. Essentially, Geron mades its name as a result of its patent might.
Geron for a long time held exclusive rights to many embryonic stem cell lines developed at the University of Wisconsin. The share in that was so large that many of its biotechnology rivals believed the company was in line to establish a stem cell monopoly. My how things change, much like the entire field of biotechnology.
Off topic a bit, I like comparing stem cell research to the birth of the Web. Invented in 1993 and look where we are. Stem cells were only found recently and look at the companies popping up to develop. Makes my head spin sometimes. Look where we are now and imagine where we are going for a sec.
Back on topic, essentially in 1999 Geron purchased the rights to the cloning technology used to make widely famous Dolly the sheep. Since thing the cloning technique was given patent protection by the British government a year later.
Geron's extensive patent holdings subsided more or less back in 2002 when the company and the University of Wisconsin came to an agreement that then limited Geron's patent rights.
Posted on June 28, 2005 05:59 PM