Development of hESC Technologies - New Report Reveals Approaches for Navigating a Complex Patent Landscape

Monday 23 September 2013, Amsterdam

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, which is a stage reached four to five days post-fertilization. Human embryonic stem cells are the most pluripotent of all stem cell types and can develop into over 200 different cell types of the human body. However, to date, development of human embryonic stem cell products has been limited because of the complex patent landscape affecting the cell type.

In particular, human embryonic stem cell research is restricted by patents held by the University of Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), which creates significant challenges for companies pursuing development of hESC products.

To aid companies that wish to enter the human embryonic stem cell product market, BioInformant’s August 2013 market intelligence report, “Opportunities in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Products - Trends and Forecasts to 2017,” explores opportunities in hESC product development, as well as strategies for navigating the complex patent landscape affecting the cell type. It provides tactics that range from collaborating with WARF, to less costly alternatives - such as circumventing patent claims, conducting research off-shore, or developing embryonic stem cell products for other species.

“Our market intelligence report is launching with an August, 2013 publish date, allowing for companies to access up-to-date strategies,” said Lance Breastgoff, Head of Product Development for BioInformant Worldwide, LLC, a company that specializes in stem cell industry data.

Breastgoff pointed out that BioInformant’s main reason for releasing its latest report is to guide biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with cost-effective development of hESC products. “The report will assist companies with smart product development decisions and the development of high-demand products,” said Breastgoff.

“Other publishers are broad-spectrum publishers and do not hire specialists who are college educated and laboratory trained to have detailed stem cell industry knowledge,” Breastgoff stressed. “We leverage relationships with active laboratory scientists to provide companies with an understanding of how to best approach the patent landscape and produce products that will experience high demand and low competition within the marketplace.”