24 July 2010
Chennai, India
It took five years, more than seven challenges from scientists from across the globe and several rounds of arguments with an expert committee before a few city–based scientists managed to obtain the process patent for growing stem cells of the cornea on a synthetic gel to be used in transplants. Announcing this on Friday, scientists of Sankara Nethralaya and Nichi–In Biosciences (private) Limited (NCRM) of Japan were visibly happy.
“This happens with most patent applications. But getting this one was special not only because we had to answer challenges from scientists in the US, UK, Japan and European countries, but also because it is our first international patent,”said Dr HN Madhavan, professor of microbiology, Sankara Nethralaya, who filed the application on March 28, 2005. “We answered all the challenges patiently. The patent jury accepted it and granted us the patent on March 16, 2010,”he said, displaying the patent. Beside him was Takayuki Kitagawa, the deputy consul general of Japan in Chennai, and Dr S S Badrinath, chairman emeritus of Sankara Nethralaya. “It’s a red letter day for our hospital,”said Dr Badrinath.

But, scientists from across the world raised objections on the type of genetic markers and the molecular versions of the cells, time of harvest, and collagens used.
“On most occasions, we had to convince the scientists and the jury that objections were not related to the patent we had applied for. This delayed the process, yet we managed to persuade all,”said Dr Samuel Abraham, director of NCRM who represented it at the hearing with the expert committee.