4 ms·
Hypothetically, if Myriad were able to synthesize and market genes, could they patent a synthetic analog to a naturally occurring gene? e.g. If they isolate a
by QEDturtles 13y ago
Hypothetically, if Myriad were able to synthesize and market genes, could they patent a synthetic analog to a naturally occurring gene?
e.g. If they isolate a gene that makes a person immune to a specific desease then found a way to package and distribute that gene, could they patent it? It occurred in nature, but something new would be created in packaging it for distribution.
Also, nature can create new genes. If Myriad has a patent on a gene that nature produces later (1 in a bazillion chance), what happens to Myriads patent?
- daughart 13y ago> If they isolate a gene that makes a person immune to a specific desease then found a way to package and distribute that gene, could they patent it? Aspirin became newly protected because of a distribution method Bayer invented, so yes, regardless of whether the sequence itself is patented.