Defending Self-Replication

Sighs of relief echoed throughout the biotech patent bar last Tuesday as attorneys logged onto the U.S. Supreme Court website and read the transcript of oral arguments in Bowman v. Monsanto Co.

Although the case involves patents on genetically modified seeds produced by or under license from Monsanto, it has broad implications for the biotech industry, especially for inventions that are relatively easily copied, such as cell lines used for medical research or treatment...