Monday, April 15, 2013

Are genes patentable?

A genetics research company has worked very hard for several years and they have now identified the genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, that are linked to increased prevalence of breast and ovarian cancers.  The link above describes how in 1997 and 1998 the company was able to receive broad patents for the DNA strands they used to isolate these genes.  Myriad, the research company, now believes that they should own patents to the genes discovered through their research conducted on "'isolated' DNA markedly different (and thus patentable) from the native DNA."  The Supreme Court will hear the case this week.  

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