One-Fifth of Human Genes Belong to the “Patome”

A new study reveals that 4382 of 23,688 human genes in NCBI are patented.  The authors of the study actually mapped the patents to their location on the chromosomes using computational techniques familiar to bioinformaticists (cool graphic in the paper shows chromosome 20 with IP righs mapped to it).

While most patented genes have only one IP claim on them, some genes have many claims.  The two most highly patented genes were found to be  BMP7, an osteogenic factor, and CDKN2A, a tumor suppressor gene.  The sequences of these two genes were claimed in more than 20 patents each. 

This research appears to be part of a larger examination on the impact of gene patents on innovation.  The authors of the paper summarize two sides of the intellectual property debate as follows:

Critics [of gene patents]…suggest that overly broad patents might block follow-on research… Alternatively, gene IP rights may become highly fragmented and cause an anticommons effect, imposing high costs on future innovators and underuse of genomic resources…Both situations, critics argue, would increase the costs of genetic diagnostics, slow the development of new medicines, stifle academic research, and discourage investment in downstream R&D…

In contrast, the classic argument in support of gene patenting is that strong IP protection provides incentives crucial to downstream investment…and the disclosure of inventions. Patents are also regarded as the cornerstone of vibrant markets for ideas…and central to the biotech boom of the 1980s and 1990s…

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Kyle Jensen and Fiona Murray. "Intellectual Property Landscape of the Human Genome" Science 14 October 2005; 310: 239-240 (sorry subscribers only) Update: See here!

Stefan Lovgren. "One-Fifth of Human Genes Have Been Patented, Study Reveals." National Geographic News. October 13, 2005

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