Mice Engineered to Develop Cancer for Research

Harvard's 1988 patent on genetically engineered mice that carry cancer-causing genes, designed to help scientists study how cancer develops and test treatments.

What it covers

This patent describes how to create a special kind of mouse, called a transgenic mouse. Scientists can insert a specific gene, known as an oncogene (which can cause cancer), into the mouse's DNA when it's still an embryo. This oncogene becomes part of every cell in the mouse, including the cells that will create future generations (germ cells). The goal is to create mammals that are predisposed to developing cancer, allowing researchers to study the disease's progression and test potential therapies in a living model. For example, claim 12 specifies that the mammal can be a mouse, and claim 6 mentions using a c-myc oncogene.

What it doesn't cover

• —Mice that develop cancer naturally without genetic engineering.
• —Transgenic animals that are not mammals (e.g., birds, fish).
• —Genetically modified animals where the inserted gene is not an oncogene.
• —The use of the engineered animals for purposes other than cancer research.
• —Methods of treating cancer in humans or animals, only the creation of the model.

The clever bit

The key innovation was engineering a mammal that reliably develops cancer from birth, allowing for controlled study, rather than relying on spontaneous mutations or less predictable models. This provided a consistent platform for research that was previously unavailable.

Why it matters

This patent, often referred to as the 'Oncomouse' patent, was one of the first to allow for the creation of genetically modified animals specifically for disease research. It enabled the development of animal models for studying cancer, which were crucial for advancing our understanding of the disease and for testing new drugs. The patent was also the subject of significant legal and ethical debates regarding patenting life forms.

Real-world examples

• 1.Oncomice (genetically engineered mice used in cancer research)
• 2.Harvard's OncoMouse®