Solved: The paternity test for stem cells

Human embryo photo: Dr David Becker, Wellcome Images

Fate Therapeutics Inc. – a start-up biotech that develops pharmaceuticals to stimulate stem cells – has staged a major coup for iPS cells, the adult-derived stem cells that have the all characteristics of embryonic stem cells without the controversy (see “Major breakthrough in stem cell science”).

Fate Therapeutics holds an exclusive license from Rudi Jaenisch’s group at the Whitehead Institute to their patent application governing iPS cell technology (“Methods for Reprogramming Somatic Cells“) which has a priority date of November 26, 2003.  According to a February 4 press release from Fate Therapeutics, the US Patent and Trademark Office has now allowed the claims.

Rudolph Jaenisch MD

The intrigue here is that the Jaenisch application pre-dates the US patent application of Shinya Yamanaka (the “Godfather of iPS cells”) by about three months and effectively gives Fate Therapeutics a very strong legal position in the USA in the iPS cell space.

Shinya Yamanaka MD

According to our sources, the Whitehead/Fate application had a rather rocky ride at the US Patent and Trademark Office and there was some doubt that it would prevail. However, now that the patent has issued with broad claims the balance of power will likely tip towards the USA for commercial applications of this technology.

Never a dull day in Stemcellville!

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Tags: John McCulloch, life sciences, regenerative medicine, Shinya Yamanaka