ACT in patent deal with Pharming

The USA's Advanced Cell Technology has entered into an agreement with the Dutch firm Pharming giving the latter an exclusive, global license to non-human use of certain patents associated with but not limited to oocyte activation patents held by ACT. According to the terms of the license deal, Pharming will pay the US company a one-time license fee. Prior to this, Pharming, which is focused on developing treatments for genetic and aging diseases, specialty products for surgical indications and intermediates for various applications and nutritional products, had a non-exclusive license to these patents. Financial terms were not disclosed.

ACT has been focused on building a broad intellectual property portfolio since its inception. In early 2007, the company strengthened its IP portfolio by acquiring the assets of its former competitor Infigen relating to somatic cell nuclear transfer, parthenogenesis and other related technologies. On the closing of its Mytogen acquisition later that year, ACT absorbed the latter's patent portfolio as well, and now owns or has exclusive licenses to over 380 patents and patent applications worldwide in the field of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy.