Venter Institute Claims Patent on Synthetic Life

jimsnail writes "J. Craig Venter and the Institute that bears his name are again moving into new territory in the field of genetics. Genetic patents, that is. They are seeking a broad patent that would give them ownership of a 'free living organism that can grow and replicate' constructed entirely from synthetic DNA. The ETC Group is challenging the claim. 'Scientists at the institute designed the bacterium to have a "minimal genome"--the smallest set of genes any organism can live on. The project, which began in the early 2000s, was partly a philosophical exercise: to help define life itself better by identifying its bare-bones requirements. But it was also fraught with commercial possibilities: if one could reliably recreate a standardized, minimal life form, other useful genes could be added in as needed for various purposes.'"

Comments

Re:misleading title, marginal patent

[Rocketship Underpant]

In order for something to meet the standard of being patentable, isn't it required that someone be able to duplicate the patented device from the descriptions and information revealed in the patent? Otherwise, the information is deemed either too vague, or outright incorrect, and thus invalid.

Somehow, I doubt anyone can, by following the instructions in this patent, actually go and make a synthetic life-form today. That makes it, er, patently un-patentable.

(Not that I agree with patents in the first place, but still...)