Genetics: Trends in human gene patent litigation

Science

Volumn 322, Issue 5899, 2008, Pages 198-199

  Holman, Christopher M ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ALPHA GALACTOSIDASE; BRCA1 PROTEIN; DNA;

GENE EXPRESSION; GENETICS; HOMINID;

DIAGNOSTIC TEST; DNA MICROARRAY; FORENSIC GENETICS; GENE ISOLATION; GENE SEQUENCE; GOVERNMENT; HUMAN; LAW ENFORCEMENT; LAW SUIT; MAMMAL CELL; ONCOGENE; OUTCOMES RESEARCH; PATENT; PRIORITY JOURNAL; SHORT SURVEY; UNITED STATES;

BIOTECHNOLOGY; DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES; GENES; HUMANS; JURISPRUDENCE; PATENTS AS TOPIC; PROTEINS; UNITED STATES;

EID: 53749087164     PISSN: 00368075     EISSN: 10959203     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1126/science.1160687     Document Type: Short Survey

References (25)

1. T. Caulfield et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 24, 1091 (2006).
2. M. Crichton, New York Times, 13 February 2007, p. A23.
3. M. K. Cho et al., J. Mol. Diagn. 5, 3 (2003).
4. B. William-Jones, Health Law J. 10, 123 (2002).
5. M. A. Heller, R. S. Eisenberg, Science 280, 698 (1998).
6. J. H. Barton, Nat. Biotechnol. 24, 939 (2006).
7. Genomic Research and Accessibility Act, H.R. 977, 110th Congr. (2007).
8. J. P. Kushan, on behalf of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property (30 October 2007); www.judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/ Kushan071030.pdf.
9. K. Jensen, F. Murray, Science 310, 239 (2005).
10. Cong. Rec. 153, E315 (daily ed., 9 February 2007).
11. J. P. Walsh et al., Science 309, 2002 (2005).
12. A "human gene patent" is any patent with a claim directed to a product or process that includes a single, specific human genetic sequence.
13. Methods and definitions are on Science Online and in (14).
14. An expanded discussion of the results of this survey can be found in C. M. Holman, University of Missouri-Kansas City Law Rev. 76, 295 (2007); http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1090562.
15. M. A. Lemley, C. Shapiro, J. Econ. Perspect. 19, 75 (2005).
16. Data obtained from the Stanford Intellectual Property Litigation Clearinghouse on 17 September 2008 for patents falling into U.S. Manual of Patent Classification Classes 514 and 424 (drugs, bio-affecting and body treating compositions) and 435 (chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology).
17. L. Pressman et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 24, 31 (2006).
18. M. M. Hopkins et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 25, 185 (2007).
19. Litigation pendency refers to the time between the filing of a lawsuit and resolution of the litigation.
20. U.S. Patent no. 5,356,804.
21. See, e.g., Genomic Research and Diagnostic Accessibility Act of 2002, H.R. 3967, 107th Congress (2002).
22. 35 U.S. Code 203(a) (2008).
23. Hearing on "Stifling or Stimulating - The Role of Gene Patents in Research and Genetic Testing," before the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, 110th Congress (30 October 2007); www.judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_103007.html.
24. Early settlement or dismissal - the parties either agreed to settle the case before any substantive judicial decision or the case was dismissed by the court; Late settlement - the parties agreed to settle the case subsequent to one or more substantive judicial decisions, but before appealing the decision to a higher court; Case appealed - the district court's decision was appealed to a higher court.
25. I thank L. Andrews, J. Carbone, R. Feldman, T. Holbrook, F. S. Kieff, A. Lara, N. Levit, C. Mason, G. Pulsinelli, M. Lemley, R. Cook-Deegan, A. Rai, K. Jensen and participants of the 2007 Intellectual Property Scholars Conference (9 to 10 August, Chicago, IL) for commentary, and K. Jensen and F. Murray for sharing their database of human gene patents.