PharmaStem Therapeutics Inc. has had their application for a patent rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. PharmaStem was seeking a patent on their techniques for the collection, cryopreservation and storage of umbilical cord blood stems. However, ThermoGenesis Corp. as well as NETCORD disagreed with the patent, stating that the methods used by PharmaStem were not that unique. “The methods and observations reported in these patents were well known and the possibility of using cord blood for bone marrow and immune system reconstitution had been suggested several times in the medical literature,” Philip Coelho, chairman and CEO of ThermoGenesis, said. PharamStem also sought to patent their technology over three years ago in Europe. However, this move was successfully opposed by the Rancho Cordova company. Sacramento.BizJournals.comMay 21, 2006
Hospital Refuses to Take Stem Cells
A woman in Ireland hoping to collect her baby’s cord blood stem cells has been refused permission to do so by the hospital in which she plans to give birth. Catriona McCauley, who is due early June, was to give birth at Cavan General hospital and informed her doctors that she would like to have her child’s umbilical cord blood collected so she could store the stem cells. However, her doctors have refused to perform the collection. After a review of the case, the hospital released this statement: “Based on the current available evidence there is insufficient scientific research to support the practice of taking routine cord blood for stem cell retrieval, considering the implications involved in undertaking the procedure.” In response to this decision, McCauley has decided to do the collection herself as she has already entered into a contract with an Irish cord blood bank. McCauley, a scientist herself, made the choice to bank the stem cells after spending ten years researching stem cell therapy, saying “I believe these cells can save lives. I hope I never have reason to use the frozen stem cells, but I want that biological insurance policy for my family.” While Ireland does not have a national policy in regards to cord blood banking, a number of hospitals in Dublin typically refuse requests for cord blood collection claiming that there is not enough scientific evidence to validate the collection of cord blood. However, in private, some obstetricians say they refuse for other reasons including ethical objections, worries over litigation and the logistics of the procedure. Dearbhail McDonald, TimesOnline.co.uk
