The CRISPR/Cas9 system allows specific “editing” of
genes in living cells and organisms using in part a cell’s
own machinery. This system has already revolutionized genomic
engineering and is expected to have profound implications for
disease treatment, agriculture and beyond. Not surprisingly, the
powerful potential applications of CRISPR have led to a significant
amount of interest in protecting the intellectual property
associated with this technology.
Currently, a patent battle is ongoing in the United States
between the University of California (UC), Berkeley and the Broad
Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Briefly, in May 2012, a
group of researchers associated with UC Berkeley and Umea
University in Sweden filed a patent application in the United
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) describing a CRISPR/Cas9
system that could cut DNA in vitro. In December 2012, a
second group from the Broad Institute also filed a patent
application in the USPTO.
