Broad Institute Wins Big Battle over CRISPR Gene-Editing Patent

Megalith

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It sounds like Harvard and MIT has triumphed, at least partially, over the University of California, Berkeley in regards to who “owns” certain aspects of CRISPR gene-editing. This is surprising because the latter party was widely credited with pioneering the concept. I am trying to wrap my head around everything, but it sounds like both parties may ultimately have ample stake in CRISPR, meaning that they are both going to get paid handsomely by companies that utilize the technique. Gene editing is supposed to be monumental for healthcare, going as far as treating any disease and genetic defect.

…the Broad Institute—a joint venture of Harvard University and MIT—will hold the patent for using CRISPR in human beings, other animals, and plants. Sherkow told Shots he believes Cal's patent, which has not yet been issued, could be limited to bacteria. "Obviously the patents covering the application of this technology in human cells ... are going to be much more financially valuable than using the same technology in bacteria," Sherkow says, "because one can develop drugs and other therapies from them." Investors Wednesday seemed to agree with this assessment. The value of companies that were spun off to license the Broad patents rose sharply, while the company based on the Berkeley patent lost value.
 
isn't this all government funded research? Now they get to profit off it too?
Yeah, what you said makes no sense. Govt. funds research but it can't own IP property. How else is this going to get out into the world? Most research is government funded. Do you think people shouldn't be able to start tech/biotech companies based on research they've been doing for decades just because part or all of the research was paid for by the govt.?
 
CRISPY bacteria are valuable too, they can be made to make drugs for cheap.
 
Yeah, what you said makes no sense. Govt. funds research but it can't own IP property. How else is this going to get out into the world? Most research is government funded. Do you think people shouldn't be able to start tech/biotech companies based on research they've been doing for decades just because part or all of the research was paid for by the govt.?
As a worker in the Aerospace and Defense industry, this is 100% false. In my case, if the government paid my company to develop something they own the IP and can do whatever they want with it....to include having someone else make the product. My company will only own the IP if it was funded out of internal company funding.

With that said, academic research funding is a bit different and many successful companies got their start off of an idea funded by the government.
 
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