Intellectual Property - An Essential Element of Our Business
Patents and other proprietary rights are an essential element of our business, and we seek patents to protect the inventions that we make along our journey of discovery.  We protect the genes, proteins, drug targets, compounds and antibodies that we discover.  Specifically, we seek patent protection for: 

• various enabling technologies in the fields of mutagenesis, embryonic stem cell manipulation, and transgenic and knockout mice;
• novel genes (including full- and partial-length human genes), the proteins they encode, and methods of their use; 
• novel uses of genes and the drug targets or proteins they encode; 
• novel drug discovery assays for our in vivo-validated targets; 
• novel small molecules and methods of their use; 
• novel large molecules (e.g., antibodies) and methods of their use; and

Broad Patent Portfolio of Key Technologies
We currently own or have rights in more than 190 issued United States and foreign patents and more than 400 pending United States and foreign patent applications.

Our patents and patent applications are directed to gene trapping technologies, mouse embryonic stem cells, knockout mice, DNA sequences of genes, uses of specific drug targets, drug discovery assays, small molecules and methods of their use, large molecules (e.g., antibodies) and methods of their use, and a variety of other products and processes.  Patents in which we have certain exclusive rights are directed to a variety of enabling technologies, including:  the use of positive-negative selection and isogenic DNA gene targeting; the use of Cre/lox site-specific genetic recombination technology; and the use of IRES technology to effectively translate reporter genes in genetically altered mice and mouse embryonic stem cells.  Patents typically have a term of no longer than 20 years from their dates of filing.