New Study Points Out That Gene Patent On Trial Is Very, Very Broad

from the patenting-life dept

Last year a very important lawsuit was filed, challenging whether or not it was legal to patent genes. While that trial is still (slowly) moving forward, a study has come out pointing out that one of the genes that's at the center of that trial, BRCA1, from Myriad Genetics, is incredibly broad and could be used to stifle all sorts of important research:

For instance, BRCA1 is on chromosome 17. But long stretches of DNA on chromosome 1 are identical to stretches in the Myriad patent, the researchers said.

"This claim and others like it turn out, on examination, to be surprisingly broad, and if enforced would have substantial implications for medical practice and scientific research," they wrote.

In the meantime, we're still waiting for someone to explain how it possibly makes sense to patent genes.

Filed Under: brca1, genes, patents
Companies: myriad genetics