[IP Hot Topics Podcast] Innovation Conversations: Walter Isaacson, Part 1
Clinton: SCOTUS Myriad Genetics Decision 'Terrific'
Can You Patent Human Genes? ACLU Says No
Yours, Mine and Ours (not yet!): An Update on the Patentability of Human Genes
We previously alerted readers to the fact that the most recent data compromise of 23andMe exposed data related to Ashkenazi Jews and individuals of Chinese descent. It is reported by Ars Technica, citing TechCrunch, that...more
Editor’s Note: In a new white paper, summarized below, Manatt Health discusses emerging reimbursement models for cell and gene therapies. The paper provides an overview of current Medicaid, Medicare and commercial coverage,...more
Gene therapy aims to treat the underlying genetic cause of a disease rather than only the symptoms. It involves the delivery of properly functioning DNA into a patient’s genetic material to correct an underlying genetic...more
The investments in Advanced Medicinal Products (ATMPs) that use gene therapy, somatic cell therapy, and engineered tissues for preventing, treating, or curing human diseases probably represent the biggest innovation in the...more
The Ministry of Science and Technology of China has finally issued the draft of Implementation Rules for the Regulations of Human Genetic Resources Administration for public comments on March 21, 2022, which gives more...more
I have written about genetic testing kits before, but this subject matter is worth repeating. I find that people don’t always understand the consequences when sending a swab to a genetic testing company. Consumer Reports...more
2021 was a fascinating year in biotech, especially for legal issues. Of course, 2021, as the second year of a global pandemic, must be viewed in context with 2020....more
Two articles (Newsweek and Fierce Biotech) describe the new lawsuit by the Henrietta Lacks Estate surrounding the HeLa cell line. The claim is "unjust enrichment," a difficult claim to win, but one that seems to fit this...more
In a time of a global pandemic, with antivaxxer and anti-science sentiments running rife, and when combinations of fear, distrust, and paranoia are rampant, it is easy for important results from basic science to become fodder...more
A promising new technology may make the diagnosis of cancer and genetic mutation testing as easy as performing a urinalysis as part of an annual physical exam. Cancer could be detected at its earliest stages, when treatment...more
Cancer of the appendix is a very rare form of cancer, having an incidence of 0.12 per 1,000,000 person-years (Siegel et al., 2020, Cancer statistics 2020 70:7-30). Incidence is rising (by 232% from 2000-2016 in the U.S.)...more
This article provides a basic overview of the immune system and how its successful engagement is necessary to produce a commercial vaccine, with a specific focus on the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease and...more
Svante Pääbo created the science of detecting Neanderthal DNA in archeological samples (and living humans) almost single-handedly (see Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes). So it will come as little surprise to many...more
California’s “Genetic Information Privacy Act” (SB 980), vetoed on September 25, 2020 by Governor Gavin Newsom, would have established obligations for direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) genetic testing companies and others that...more
Welcome to Innovation Conversations, a special series of Sterne Kessler's IP Hot Topics podcast. I'm your series host, Trey Powers, a Director in Sterne Kessler's biotech and litigation practice groups. Joining me as a cohost...more
In this inaugural edition of the IP Hot Topics podcast, we kick off our Innovation Conversations series. We’re joined by renowned author, analyst, journalist, historian and Tulane University professor Walter Isaacson....more
Chemotherapeutic drug resistance is one reason cancer remains an unsolved clinical problem despite the efforts ever since President Nixon declared his "War on Cancer" in 1971. Cancer cells, due in part to the genetic...more
It is a good bet that everyone has a heightened appreciation for diagnostic technology right now. The countries that have fared reasonably well during the ongoing pandemic are those with meticulous testing regimens. After...more
Last week, Veritas Genetics, a consumer-facing DNA testing company, suffered a security breach affecting customer information in its database. Veritas offers whole-genome sequencing to consumers for $599. The security...more
As a pioneer in DNA synthesis with several patents to her name, Dr. Emily Leproust could have enjoyed a distinguished career without ever leaving the lab. Instead she founded (and just took public) a company that promises to...more
Recognizing that gene therapy products are now a “therapeutic reality” for some patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) recently unveiled six draft guidance documents intended to foster the development of...more
During a speech on May 22, 2018 at the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine's Annual Board Meeting, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced that the FDA plans to alert companies that “certain...more
It is no secret that every lawsuit attributing the development of disease to an alleged exposure to a toxic substance requires early consideration of alternate causes. One powerful tool being used more frequently to do this...more
Obtaining issued patents in the biotechnology space can be a challenge. Here is a list of ten patent strategies we recommend for biotechnology innovators to increase their odds of obtaining valuable intellectual property...more
In Part I, I explained some general criteria for laws of nature, considering the prototypes of Newton's laws and Einstein's E=mc2. Now I'll turn to whether there are laws of nature in biology. Biological generalizations,...more