Recently, there have been some interesting innovations in the Life Science industry that promise a great deal of benefit to mankind.

STAP cells – a breakthrough in stem cell research

Stem cells are undifferentiated biological cells that have the ability to transform into any type of cell, depending on certain stimulus. The term “stem cells” was first used in 1908 by a Russian histologist named Alexander Maksimov. They are the building blocks of any biological organism; an embryo begins as a mass of stem cells that later differentiate into various specialized cells. It is this property that has interested a large number of researchers; the potential for developing a cure for many diseases and afflictions is enormous. The first instance of stem cell therapy was a bone marrow transplant between two siblings to treat a case of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).

Continue reading Developments in Life Sciences →

Recently there was a landmark decision by the Indian Supreme Court on the issue of whether Novartis International AG, Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company, could patent their cancer treatment drug Gleevec. After a litigation suit that lasted for seven years, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Indian Patent Office and denied the right for Novartis to patent their drug.

Novartis had filed a patent for imatinib, which is the chemical name for Gleevec, in India in 1998, after India had agreed to abide by worldwide intellectual property standards under the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). One of the key changes made by India as a result of this agreement was an amendment to its patent laws; prior to the TRIPS Agreement, products could not be patented in India but after the agreement was made, products could be patented if they followed certain restrictions. These changes were effective from 2005, which meant Novartis’ patent application was in limbo until then. In the meantime, Novartis has applied for Exclusive Marketing Rights (EMR) for Gleevec as per provisions under the TRIPS agreement. Novartis sold Gleevec at USD 2666 per patient per month, whereas generic companies were selling their versions at USD 177 to 266 per patient per month.

Continue reading Drug Patients in India →