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May 15, 2012

Kyoto University Granted its 3rd iPSC Patent in the U.S.

Kyoto University was granted on March 6 its third patent associated with the method to generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), following its first and second ones granted last year.

With the issuance for the U.S. patent application number 12/656,907, Kyoto University has been granted patent rights associated with the iPSC technology in following countries and regions Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the US, Eurasia and Europe.

The third U.S. patent covers the method to generate iPSCs by introducing four genes (Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc) or 3 genes (Oct3/4, Sox2, and Klf4) into somatic cells with retroviral vectors, and derive functional cells from the iPSCs. It also covers the use and sale of iPSC-derived functional cells, generated with the method.

The new patent will have an impact on companies that are working on drug discovery using the iPSC techniques as they need to have a license from iPS Academia Japan Inc.

Kyoto University hopes that its acquisition of the patent will contribute to creating an environment in which many companies enter research and development on drug discovery using iPSC technology.

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