America issues patents

THE US patent and trademark office last December issued patents for three transgenic animals, which are animals that have been implanted with genes at an early developmental stage. The only previous animal patent issued was four-and-a-half years ago for the Harvard onco-mouse, into which cancer-causing genes had been introduced.

Animal patent opponents fear transgenic patenting might interfere with the breeding or resale of an animal or its offspring (Bio/Technology, Vol 11, No ??). But with more than 180 transgenic animal patent application in the patent office, more animal patents are in the offing.