CRISPR/Cas Technology and Innovation: Mapping Patent Law Issues

49 Pages Posted: 11 May 2022 Last revised: 22 Jun 2022

See all articles by Daria Kim

Daria Kim

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

Reto Hilty

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition; University of Zurich; Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)

Elisabeth Hofmeister

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

Peter R. Slowinski

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

Miriam Steinhart

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

Date Written: April 1, 2022

Abstract

The paper provides a systematic overview of issues arising at the interface between CRISPR/Cas technology and patent law. In particular, it examines aspects related to the patentability of CRISPR/Cas-based methods of genome editing, on the one hand, and access to patented technologies, in view of the expanding CRISPR patent landscape, on the other hand. On the whole, our findings show that the case of CRISPR/Cas technology is prototypical of the policy dilemma in patent law as to how to balance economic incentives of multiple innovators in a cumulative innovation setting. The reviewed technical, legal and economic factors suggest the preconditions for technology underutilisation. While this paper presents the results of the exploratory phase of research, it sets a framework for the further, more targeted interdisciplinary examination of the identified issues.

Keywords: CRISPR/Cas technology, genome editing, patents, cumulative innovation, patent thicket, anticommons

Suggested Citation

Kim, Daria and Hilty, Reto and Hofmeister, Elisabeth and Slowinski, Peter R. and Steinhart, Miriam, CRISPR/Cas Technology and Innovation: Mapping Patent Law Issues (April 1, 2022). Max Planck Institute for Innovation & Competition Research Paper No. 22-06, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4106075 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4106075

Daria Kim (Contact Author)

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition ( email )

Marstallplatz 1
Munich, Bayern 80539
Germany

Reto Hilty

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition ( email )

Marstallplatz 1
Munich, Bayern 80539
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.ip.mpg.de

University of Zurich

Rämistrasse 74/7
Zürich, CH-8001
Switzerland

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)

Munich, 80539
Germany

Elisabeth Hofmeister

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition ( email )

Marstallplatz 1
Munich, Bayern 80539
Germany

Peter R. Slowinski

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition ( email )

Marstallplatz 1
Munich, Bayern 80539
Germany

Miriam Steinhart

Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition ( email )

Marstallplatz 1
Munich, Bayern 80539
Germany

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