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Nature Biotechnology 26, 393–395 (1 April 2008) | doi:10.1038/nbt0408-393

Patenting pluripotence: the next battle for stem cell intellectual property

Katja Triller Vrtovec & Christopher Thomas Scott

The last 12 months have been a watershed for major developments in stem cell intellectual property (IP). After reexamination proceedings held in March 2007, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO; Washington, DC) issued a preliminary rejection of three of James Thomson's foundational embryonic stem (ES) cell patents (commonly known as '780, '806 and '913; Table 1).