Japanese Government Considers Granting Patents To Medical Applications Using iPS Cells
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
The Japanese government is considering starting a review process on granting patents to medical applications using induced pluripotent stem cells. The Intellectual Property Strategy Council, a cabinet level agency led by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, made the announcement April 17. The review process could start as early as June. Facing increasing international competition on granting patents to iPS cell technology, the government wants to start the process earlier. Currently, medical applications using iPS cells are patented in the U.S., and Japanese regenerative medicine researchers have been concerned that without patents, Japanese regenerative medicine will lose out to American counterparts. (Click here for more-Japanese language