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Antibody patenting without antibodies: a global trend

Nature Biotechnology volume 26, pages 1341–1343 (2008)Cite this article

Granting human gene patents that include broad antibody claims without any experimental antibody production makes the gene patent issue more complex.

With recent advances in the genomic analysis of diverse organisms, including humans, many gene patents have been registered worldwide. Regarding gene patenting, both affirmative views (pointing out the necessity of patentability as an incentive, to stimulate investment in genetic research and the publication of research outcomes) and negative views (based on concerns regarding the inhibition of advances in science and healthcare) have been frequently expressed1,2,3,4. However, despite the controversy surrounding gene patenting, the scope of the inventions claimed in gene patent applications has been expanding. In recent years, not only the invention of identified genes and proteins but also the invention of antibodies has begun to be included in patent claims5. Moreover, the Trilateral Patent Offices have issued a statement suggesting the possibility of such antibody claims being allowed without any experimental antibody production6. The registration of gene patents that include antibody claims can affect the antibody business sector and antibody research more than can conventional gene patents without antibody claims. So far, however, the precise status of this issue has not yet been clarified. Here, we conduct a comprehensive survey of gene patents that include antibody claims.

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Figure 1: Statistics on human gene patents including antibody claims.
Figure 2: Annual change in the number of each category of human gene patent.
Figure 3

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank M. Hagiwara, M. Muramatsu and intellectual property assistants at Tokyo Medical and Dental University for providing suggestions and comments, and T. Akagi at RIKEN for technical assistance. This analysis has been supported by Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan).

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  1. Kazunori Hashimoto is in the Intellectual Property Division and Tomomi Aida is in the Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan. hashimoto.tlo@tmd.ac.jp,

    Kazunori Hashimoto & Tomomi Aida

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  1. Kazunori Hashimoto
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Hashimoto, K., Aida, T. Antibody patenting without antibodies: a global trend. Nat Biotechnol 26, 1341–1343 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1208-1341

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