Anticommons effects results from scarce resources in the hands of few that are underutilized.
In biotechnology, this relates to the proliferation and fragmentation of IP ownership, preventing any single institution or company from assembling all of the necessary rights to produce a product or downstream technology, resulting in the underuse (or nonuse) of resources.
MNCs
Case Study: Golden Rice
Genetically enhanced rice targeting countries where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A.
Over 40 patented technologies were used to develop Golden Rice for use in developing nations.
Because it’s a humanitarian crop with no commercial value, the cost of licensing all those technologies would have prohibited Golden Rice’s development had companies not been pressured to waive their fees.
Examples
Methods for plant transformation patented:
The ´061 Patent - Assignee: Monstanto -1999 Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation methodWhat is claimed is: 1. A method of transforming a corn plant cell or plant tissue using an Agrobacterium mediated process comprising the steps of….
The ´022 Patent - Assignee: DuPont - 1992 Biolistic apparatus for delivering substances into cells and tissues in a non-lethal manner
Compounded by patents on promoters,selectable markers, processes…
