Patent Law

Hwang Woo Suk stem cell patent to issue in Australia

By Lawrence B. Ebert, Esq.

Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, which he heads, said 21 Sept. 08, ?The Australian patent office decided to accept Dr. Hwang?s patent application for the cloned human embryonic stem cell May 18. Then it posted the decision on the Web June 12. Over the following three months, the office invited objections to the decision.?

?As of today, the main Australian patent office has received no objections. It will become clear whether its branch offices have received such objections or not by Tuesday.?

The foundation added, ?It?s very rare for a branch office to receive an objection. Thus we expect Australian authorities to soon issue the registration certificate. We have already paid the fees.?

Australia has already issued a patent number (SN: 2004309300) for Hwang?s patent on his embryonic stem cell line and production method. Eighteen other co-inventors are registered, but Hwang reportedly retains all of the patent rights.

Full post as published by IPBiz on September 21, 2008 (boomark / email).