University Foundation’s Patents Questioned
July 19, 2006
A California watchdog group is challenging a University of Wisconsin foundation over several of its patents regarding stem-cell research, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights of Santa Monica is seeking to overturn the patents, which it says are overly broad and are limiting stem-cell research.
Commercial users are charged fees ranging from $75,000 to more than $250,000 to license the patents. Officials from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation say they are simply enforcing their legal rights by charging companies these fees. The foundation handles all the intellectual-property rights owned by the university.
