>No Patent on Human Embryonic Stem Cells: EU

>A Thanksgiving present from the European Union!

The Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) did not take the day off. Early on November 27, the EPO announced that they would not allow the development of human embryonic stem cells to be patented as filed by WARF in 1996, since that technique depended on the destruction of human embryos.

For background on WARF, see this post on the patents, here.

The EPO has upheld its previous ruling from earlier this year:

The EPC does not allow patenting inventions whose commercial exploitation would be contrary to public order (“ordre public”) or morality. Furthermore, the Convention prohibits patenting on uses of human embryos for industrial or commercial purposes.

Needless to say, Geron is not happy.