EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS: Does it all start here? What does the patent landscape look like?

The Potential is Real – The Confusion is Overwhelming – The Passion is Blinding.  So What do we do? Is sticking our heads in the sand of ignorance the right approach?

We wanted to explore what is going on in the intellectual property front of the embryonic stem cell landscape.  This will provide insight into what the research and business enterprises focus in.  it will shed light on directions, possibilities, and actualities.

Note though, that not all that’s patented is all that there is … for example the Geron Corporation is associated with only the following patents associated directly with embryonic stem cells.
Clearly, from title analysis, Mammalian Telomerase is a one of their major keys to the lock.
PAT. NO.  Title 
1 6,258,535  Mammalian telomerase  
2 6,166,178  Telomerase catalytic subunit  
3 6,147,276  Quiescent cell populations for nuclear transfer in the production of non-human mammals and non-human mammalian embryos  
4 6,054,575  Mammalian telomerase RNA gene promoter  
5 5,958,680  Mammalian telomerase  
6 5,837,857  Mammalian telomerase  
7 5,776,679  Assays for the DNA component of human telomerase  
8 5,583,016  Mammalian telomerase
LISTING OF THE MOST CURRENT U.S. PATENTS on EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS
PATENT #  Title 
6,274,363  Phosphatidylcholine phospholipase D  
6,274,362  RGS-containing molecules and uses thereof  
6,274,338  Human c-Maf compositions and methods of use thereof  
6,274,309  Method for the modulation of acid-sphingomyelinase-related apoptosis  
6,271,436  Cells and methods for the generation of transgenic pigs  
6,271,348  Tetracycline-inducible transcriptional inhibitor fusion proteins  
6,271,341  Transcriptional activators with graded transactivation potential  
6,270,778  Melanoma antigens and their use in diagnostic and therapeutic methods  
6,268,135  Phospholipase molecule and uses therefor  
6,268,130  RP compositions and diagnostic uses therefor  
6,265,564  Expressed ligand-vascular intercellular signalling molecule  
6,265,546  Prostate cancer gene  
6,262,337  Transgenic animal with recombinant vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B DNA) and uses thereof  
6,262,235  Leptospiral outer membranes protein, LipL46  
6,262,035  Gene replacement therapy for muscular dystrophy  
6,261,818  CARK protein and nucleic acid molecules and uses therefor  
6,258,998  Method of cloning porcine animals  
6,258,582  CSAPTP nucleic acid molecules and uses therefor  
6,258,557  Smooth muscle cell LIM promoter  
6,258,535  Mammalian telomerase  
6,255,473  Presenilin-1 gene promoter  
6,255,458  High affinity human antibodies and human antibodies against digoxin  
6,255,112  Regulation of hematopoietic stem cell differentiation by the use of human mesenchymal stem cells  
6,252,136  Transgenic organisms having tetracycline-regulated transcriptional regulatory systems  
6,252,132  Mutant mouse containing a knockout mutation in DNA encoding an endogenous alpha 4 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor  
6,252,051  ErbB4 receptor-specific neuregulin related ligand antibodies and uses therefor  
6,251,671  Compositions and methods of making embryonic stem cells  
6,248,934  Gene trap vectors  
6,248,527  Method of detecting risk of type II diabetes based on mutations found in carboxypeptidase E  
6,245,969  Receptor kinase, Bin1  
6,245,566  Human embryonic germ cell line and methods of use  
6,245,529  Testis-specific cystatin-like protein cystatin T  
6,245,527  Nucleic acid molecules encoding glycoprotein VI and recombinant uses thereof  
6,242,667  Transgenic organisms having tetracycline-regulated transcriptional regulatory porno mexicano systems  
6,242,588  Testis specific glycoprotein zpep10  
6 6,242,236  Method of promoting enzyme diversity  
6,239,326  Sparc-deficient transgenic mice  
6,238,903  SH2-containing inositol-phosphatase  
6,238,881  Nucleic acids and polypeptides related to a guanine exchange factor of Rho GTPase