[Upd-discuss] Big PhRMA putting gene info in Public Domain

[James Love]

Interesting federal register notice regarding big PhRMA's non-profit
venture to "carry on scientific research in the public interest, 
. . . creating a single nucleotide polymorphism (``SNP'') map on the
human  genome, that will . . . "be placed in the public domain for use
by the worldwide medical research community."   This is a pretty good
illustration of an area where even pharmaceutical companies believe that
strong intellectual property rights would harm innovation.   Jamie


[Federal Register: October 7, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 194)]
[Notices]               
[Page 54645]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07oc99-92]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Antitrust Division

 
Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and 
Production Act of 1993--the SNP Consortium Ltd. (``TSC'')

    Notice is hereby given that, on April 21, 1999, pursuant to Section 
6(a) of the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993, 
15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (``the Act''), The SNP Consortium Ltd. (``TSC'') 
has filed written notifications simultaneously with the Attorney 
General and the Federal Trade Commission disclosing: (1) The identities 
of the parties; and (2) the nature and objectives of the venture. The 
notifications were filed for the purpose of invoking the Act's 
provisions limiting the recovery of antitrust plaintiffs to actual 
damages under specified circumstances. Pursuant to Section 6(b) of the 
Act, the identities of the parties are Bayer Corporation, Tarrytown, 
NY; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ; Glaxo Wellcome Inc., 
Research Triangle Park, NJ; Hoechst Marion Roussel Inc., Bridgewater, 
NJ; Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, NJ; Monsanto Company, St. Louis, 
MO; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ; Pfizer 
Inc., New York, NY; SmithKline Beecham Corporation, Philadelphia, PA; 
The Wellcome Trust Limited, as trustee of the Wellcome Trust, London, 
England; and Zeneca Inc., Wilmington, DE. The nature and objectives of 
the venture are to carry on scientific research in the public interest, 
including research intended to advance the field of human medicine by 
creating a single nucleotide polymorphism (``SNP'') map on the human 
genome, that will then be made freely available to the public on a 
nondiscriminatory basis. The joint venture will enable TSC to create a 
high-density, high-quality SNP map with shared financial risk and 
without the duplication of effort that would result from the work of 
individual members. As the SNP map is being constructed, it will be 
placed in the public domain for use by the worldwide medical research 
community in identifying specific genes involved in various diseases, 
thereby facilitating downstream research and development of 
therapeutic, diagnostic and pharmaceutical products.
Constance K. Robinson,
Director of Operations, Antitrust Division.
[FR Doc. 99-26184 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-11-M

-- 
James Love
http://www.cptech.org
mailto:love@cptech.org
voice 1.202.387.8030