Private companies own human gene patents

[marc]

Private companies own human gene patents

Kate Ravilious
Friday October 14, 2005
The Guardian

Nearly a fifth of all human genes have been patented - the majority by 
private biotechnology companies, according to a survey of patent records 
published today.

The extent to which companies claim ownership of human genes has raised 
alarm among researchers and led to warnings that by asserting commercial 
rights over crucial genes, companies risk stifling research into 
diseases such as breast cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Legal cases triggered by disputes over who owns specific genes and how 
access to working on them is restricted are also likely in future, the 
scientists warn.

Kyle Jensen and Fiona Murray at Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
calculated the proportion of human genes that had been patented by 
comparing the genetic sequences claimed in US patents to genes listed in 
the National Centre for Biotechnology Information gene database. They 
were surprised to find so many had already been patented. "The stories 
that we hear in the media only concern a very small number of human 
genes," said Dr Murray. "But it turns out that a high number have been 
patented, including some of the more obscure ones."

Writing in the journal Science today, the researchers report that nearly 
20% of the human genome, or 4,382 of the known 23, 688 human genes, have 
been patented, with over half owned by private companies. Around 63% of 
the patents are assigned to private firms, with one firm, Incyte 
Pharmaceuticals/Incyte Genomics, having intellectual property rights 
covering 2,000 human genes.

more...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,3605,1591991,00.html?gusrc=rss