Cloning, No Longer Just For Star Wars
Cloning may invoke more controversy than any topic, short of a few that we won’t go into. But there is a new pact out there regarding animal cloning that investors may be playing ahead. Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) and Exeter Life Sciences, Inc. announced a merger of Start Licensing, Inc., a joint venture between Geron and Exeter Life Sciences, and ViaGen, Inc., a subsidiary of Exeter Life Sciences. The deal was announced Tuesday but may have ramifications for years into teh future.
This venture called Start manages and licenses a broad portfolio of intellectual property rights related to animal reproductive technologies, which of course includes animal cloning. ViaGen is a leading animal genomics and livestock cloning firm. Does the name Dolly the Sheep ring a bell?
The merger of Start and ViaGen, combines the full breadth of intellectual property rights to nuclear transfer cloning technology, including that developed at the Roslin Institute for cloning Dolly the sheep. Customers can secure a license to practice or contract cloning services.
Modified or cloned animals may answer many questions to basic needs around the world, and of course it opens up another Pandora’s Box depending on how far this is allowed to go. The companies also note that cloning has applications in the production of biopharmaceuticals, such as therapeutic proteins in milk and antibodies in blood.
Cloning anything beyond compounds and certain animals is going to open up one major controversy out there. But independent business owners would probably line up right now if this was extended to you and me. They’d likely turn in an order for 3 units if they can afford it: two for work, and one for parts.
Jon C. Ogg
August 13, 2008