PHA-Exch> Massive patent claims on antibodies and genes of bird flu survivors

[Claudio Schuftan]

*From:* TWN News [mailto:news at twnnews.net]
**

>From Third World Network
www.twnside.org.sg


Below is a news report on the vast patent claims found on the antibodies and
genes of bird flu survivors. If granted, the patent application could have
profound effects in limiting research on antibody treatments against the
potentially pandemic H5N1 type of influenza.

These applications heighten concerns raised by developing countries that the
present international system for sharing of influenza viruses (the Global
Influenza Surveillance Network, under the World Health Organisation) is
unfair, and that the benefits of influenza research should be shared fairly
and equitably.


email: ssangeeta at myjaring.net
 ------------------------------

*Massive patent claims on antibodies and genes of bird flu survivors**
SUNS #6559 Thursday 2 October 2008      (excerpts)*


Bogota, 1 Oct (Edward Hammond) -- A US-European collaboration has laid
patent claims to all human (and some animal) antibodies against the critical
HA gene of the H5N1 "bird flu" virus, an international patent application
released last week reveals.

The company has also specifically claimed DNA (and amino acids) taken from
at least 3 Vietnamese survivors of H5N1. The DNA, which encodes antibodies
useful for fighting bird flu infection, is contained in human cell lines
established from the victims' blood.

The patent application (WO2008110937) was published on 18 September 2008. It
is the latest in a string of aggressive H5N1 claims by companies and
government laboratories in the United States and Europe.

If granted, the patent application could have profound effects in limiting
research on antibody treatments against the potentially pandemic H5N1 type
of influenza. It could also earn its owners huge profits from the blood of 3
(or 4) Vietnamese persons who were nearly killed by the virus.
These applications heighten concerns raised by developing countries that the
present international system for sharing of influenza viruses (the Global
Influenza Surveillance Network, under the World Health Organisation) is
unfair, and that the benefits of influenza research should be shared fairly
and equitably.

[See also http://immunocompetent.com]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://phm.phmovement.org/pipermail/phm-exchange-phmovement.org/attachments/20081006/531e73b3/attachment-0001.html>