Yamanaka

Steven Edwards got into some IP implications of the recent hire of stem cell worker Yamanaka:

Deepak Srivastava, GICD's director, said in a press release that
“Gladstone will provide Shinya with the resources and facilities to
apply his research to human cells.” Yamanaka's work will not be funded by grants from Proposition 71 -- at least not inititally, according to Gladstone spokesperson Valerie Tucker -- allowing it to move forward without concern of whatever revenue-sharing agreement is finally reached.

Yamanaka's work, even if Proposition 71 money is involved, could avoid revenue-sharing nightmares altogether if they decide to offer licenses to other researchers for free. Doing so would mean they have no revenues from the work to share, but it would win them a lot of respect as it could provide a viable solution to the ongoing stem-cell patent dispute.

Of course, Yamanaka has to prove his method works with human cells first -- or find an alternate method -- but I [Edwards] doubt that will take long.

IPBiz says: should be interesting to see

#1. when [if?] Yamanaka's work is supported from Proposition 71 funds
#2. when Yamanaka shows his method works with human cells