Policy Spotlight

Stem Cell Research

Intellectual Property and the Pursuit of Cures

To realize the promise of stem cell research and the intent of the millions of California voters who overwhelming passed Proposition 71, new medicines must be commercialized and used to treat patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease and other conditions. CIRM Intellectual property policies should minimize barriers to technology transfer and reward medical innovation to encourage the speedy delivery of new treatments derived from stem cell research.

CHI has actively engaged in the opportunity to publicly comment on certain provisions of the proposed CIRM IP policy that threaten to hinder the development of new treatments and therapies by creating a substantial disincentive to commercial interest in licensing CIRM-funded inventions. Specifically, CHI has argued in comments and testimony before the CIRM Independent Citizen's Oversight Committee (ICOC) and its Intellectual Property Task Force that these provisions threaten to discourage commercial collaboration, technology transfer and licensing by (a) increasing the administrative complexity of licensing agreements involving CIRM-funded technologies in comparison to the mainstream of academic-industry transactions, which derive from federally-funded research, and (b) increasing investors' financial risk by imposing state price regulation on downstream products.

CHI Comments to CIRM Intellectual Property Policy

• CHI Comments to Third Set of Proposed Changes to CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for For-Profit Organizations (Nov. 21, 2007)
• CHI Comments to Revised CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for For-Profit Organizations (Oct. 5, 2007)
• CHI Comments to Proposed CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for For-Profit Organizations (April 20, 2007)
• CHI Comments to Fifth Set of Proposed Changes to CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for Non-Profit Organizations (December 4, 2006) - Key Issue Addressed: Pricing Requirements
• CHI Analysis of Proposed CIRM Policy re Pricing of CIRM-Funded Therapies and Diagnostics (Nov. 5, 2006) - Key Issue Addressed: Pricing Requirements
• CHI Comments to Third Set of Proposed Changes to CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for Non-Profit Organizations (October 4, 2006) - Key Issue Addressed: Pricing Requirements
• CHI Comments to Second Set of Proposed Changes to CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for Non-Profit Organizations (Sept. 15, 2006) - Key Issue Addressed: Pricing Requirements
• CHI Comments to First Set of Proposed Changes to CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for Non-Profit Organizations (August 22, 2006) - Key Issues Addressed: Pricing Requirements, Revenue-Sharing, Research Use Exemption
• CHI Comments to Proposed CIRM Regulation Entitled: Intellectual Property Policy for Non-Profit Organizations (June 15, 2006) - Key Issues Addressed: Pricing and Access Requirements, March-In Powers, Revenue-Sharing, Research Use Exemption