What the Recent Patent Ruling Means for the Future of Gene-Editing Technology

The Broad Institute has emerged victorious in a battle with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley over patents covering breakthrough gene-editing technology that allows scientists to easily and inexpensively alter genetic material with precision. Last month, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled that patents held by the Broad Institute relating to certain aspects of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing did not interfere with those being sought by UC Berkeley researchers. We spoke to Kevin Noonan, Partner and Chair of the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals Practice Group of McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff and founding author of the Patent Docs blog, about the decision, what it means, and to what extent it resolves patent issues regarding the gene-editing technology.