OncoMouse
TM was one of the first
mammals to be
patented. The OncoMouse
TM is
genetically engineered to be susceptible to
cancers. In
1984 Harvard University and
DuPont jointly received a US patent on the
biotech process used to create the mouse, on the mouse itself, and on all other mammals
genetically altered by the
technology.
They couldn't get a patent in Canada, though. Judge Marc Nadon, of the Federal Court of Canada, ruled:
"They have created a method to inject eggs with a myc gene but they have not invented the mouse."