Wisconsin governor backs state's stem cell patents

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle on Tuesday defended his state's commitment to embryonic stem cell research after the U.S. patent office last week moved to revoke three basic stem cell patents held by a Wisconsin foundation.

"As long as I am governor, the state will aggressively invest in, support and nurture this research," Gov. Doyle said in a statement.

"It's important to remember that the patent office's decision is only preliminary, and the patents will remain in effect while the appeal process goes forward," he said.

University of Wisconsin researcher James Thompson was first to isolate embryonic stem cells in 1988, a discovery that was later patented. That patent and others related to it held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation are being challenged by groups who say the patents inhibit stem cell research.

Advocates call embryonic stem cell research the best hope for potential cures for conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injuries.

The cells, taken from days-old embryos, work as a type of master cell for the body, capable of changing into many types of tissues and cells. Opponents call the research immoral because it requires the destruction of the embryo.

Andy Cohn, a spokesman for the Wisconsin foundation, said the decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office was an early step in the process to have the patents revoked.

"We have 60 days to respond. We will do so with great vigor and are confident that we will be successful," he said.

The Wisconsin foundation said the patent office granted a request to review the patents and issued a preliminary ruling rejecting the patent claims. Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of the foundation, said this was a typical course of events in such matters.

"It is inconceivable to us that Dr. Thompson's discovery, which Science Magazine heralded as one of the greatest scientific discoveries in history, would not be found to be worthy of a patent," said Gulbrandsen in a statement e-mailed to Reuters.

If the foundation loses its patent protection, which would be no sooner than the end of the year, it can appeal to federal court.

The Wisconsin foundation holds a total of six patents on human embryonic stem cells.