science · 12 April 1988 · 36 years ago
In 1988, the first U.S. patent was issued on a mammal life form to Harvard scientists Philip Leder and Timothy Stewart for a genetically engineered mouse (No. 4,736,866). The Oncomouse was altered to be highly susceptible to breast cancer. It was called the product of the year by a major financial magazine. Although the patent is owned by Harvard Medical School, because it was developed with funding from DuPont, an earlier commercialization arrangement leaves DuPont entitled to exclusive license of the patent. DuPont has claimed patent protection on any anticancer product ever derived from the mice. The first patent for a life form was issued on 31 Mar 1981 for a genetically engineered bacterium.
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