Ten years of iPSC: clinical potential and advances in vitro hematopoietic differentiation.

Ten years have passed since the first publication announcing the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Issues related to ethics, immune rejection, and cell availability seemed to be solved following this breakthrough. The development of iPSC technology allows advances in in vitro cell differentiation for cell therapy purpose and other clinical applications. This review provides a perspective on the iPSC potential for cell therapies, particularly for hematological applications. We discuss the advances in in vitro hematopoietic differentiation, the possibilities to employ iPSC in hematology studies, and their potential clinical application in hematologic diseases. The generation of red blood cells and functional T cells and the genome editing technology applied to mutation correction are also covered. We highlight some of the requirements and obstacles to be overcome before translating these cells from research to the clinic, for instance, iPSC variability, genotoxicity, the differentiation process, and engraftment. Also, we evaluate the patent landscape and compile the clinical trials in the field of pluripotent stem cells. Currently, we know much more about iPSC than in 2006, but there are still challenges that must be solved. A greater understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the generation of hematopoietic stem cells is necessary to produce suitable and transplantable hematopoietic stem progenitor cells from iPSC.

Uncovering Innovation Features and Emerging Technologies in Molecular Biology through Patent Analysis.

Scientific research at universities has a crucial role in leveraging a country's innovative potential. Sectors that require greater investments in technology for the development of their research, such as biotechnology, need to be aware of the frontier state-of-the-art technology and the knowledge incrusted within it. Although the information available in scientific articles is well explored in academic environment, the patent literature, where much of the technological information is present, is still poorly accessed. This chapter is intended to instruct students and researchers at universities to look at patent document analysis as a source of scientific and technological information and explore its applications. Within this chapter, we use the technological area regarding immunoglobulins inventions (monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies) as example to provide directions on how to develop a patent landscape to get an overview of the inventions in a certain field; how to map a collaborative network of inventors/assignees to help the pursuit and identification of future partnerships; and lastly we describe the steps of how to set up a network of patent citations with the aim of forecasting emerging technologies. We strongly believe that incorporate data from patents in planning phase of research projects at academia, as well as to establish partnerships and join R&D efforts to invest on promising technologies, is of great relevance to leverage the growth of the biotechnology sector.

Incentivos para inovação tecnológica: um estudo da política pública de renúncia fiscal no Brasil / Incentivos para la innovación tecnológica: el estudio de la política pública de renuncia en Brasil / Incentives for technological innovation: a study of the public policy of tax exemption in Brazil

Resumo Este artigo tem por objetivo explicar relações entre os investimentos em pesquisa e desenvolvimento (P&D) e os resultados da inovação entre os anos de 2009 e 2013 em empresas beneficiárias dos incentivos para inovação tecnológica da Lei n. 11.196 (2005) - a chamada Lei do Bem. São estimados modelos econométricos logit para efeitos fixos e modelos de probabilidade linear com efeitos fixos. Os resultados indicam que a probabilidade das beneficiárias inovarem em produtos, processos ou serviços, ou apenas em produtos, depende do tamanho da empresa e do montante investido em P&D, principalmente em recursos humanos (RH). As chances das empresas inovarem em processos se relacionam ao tamanho da empresa, aos gastos e aos programas de desenvolvimento de RH. Logo, os resultados confirmam que os investimentos em P&D das beneficiárias geram resultados de inovação tecnológica.

Resumen El objetivo de este artículo es explicar relaciones entre las inversiones en investigación y desarrollo (I+D) y los resultados de la innovación entre los años 2009 y 2013 en empresas beneficiarias de los incentivos para innovación tecnológica de la Ley 11.196/2005 (Lei do Bem-Lei del Bien). Se estiman los modelos econométricos Logit para efectos fijos y modelos de probabilidad lineal con efectos fijos. Los resultados indican que la probabilidad de que las empresas innoven en productos, procesos o servicios, o solo en productos, depende del tamaño de la empresa y del monto invertido en I+D, principalmente en recursos humanos (RR. HH.). Las posibilidades de que las empresas innoven en el proceso se limitan al tamaño de la empresa, a los gastos y a los programas de desarrollo de RR. HH. Por lo tanto, los resultados confirman que las inversiones en Investigación y Desarrollo de las beneficiarias producen resultados de innovación tecnológica.

Abstract The goal of this paper is to explain relations between investments in Research and Development - R&D and innovation's outcomes between the 2009s and 2013s in companies that are encouraged by the Lei do Bem (Good Law), which regulates tax incentives for technological innovation. Econometric Logit models were estimated for fixed effects. The analysis results indicate that the probability of firms presenting innovations in general (in products, processes or services) or only in products depends on the size of the company and the amount invested in R&D, particularly it depends on the investment in human resources - HR. On the other hand, the chances of firms innovate in process are limited to the size of the company, the spending specifically to develop HR programs. The results confirm that investments in R&D from the beneficiaries produce innovation's outcomes.

Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies: scFv patents as a marker of a new class of potential biopharmaceuticals / Terapêuticas de anticorpos monoclonais: patentes scFv como um marcador de uma nova classe de produtos biofarmacêuticos potenciais

Monoclonal antibodies represent the fastest growing class of biopharmaceutical products and have a host of applications in medical research, diagnosis, therapy, and basic science. The production of recombinant monoclonal antibodies has revolutionized the generation of immunoglobulins, and their use represents a strategic breakthrough, affecting the global pharmaceutical market for therapeutic proteins. In the present work, a review of scFv, and the number of related patents, has been carried out. The results show that several countries have scFv patents, most notably the United States, China and United Kingdom. The target of these scFv antibodies was also assessed and the results demonstrate that most are directed toward cancer therapy.

Anticorpos monoclonais representam a classe de maior crescimento em produtos de biofármacos e possuem várias aplicações em pesquisa médica, diagnóstico, terapias e ciência básica. A produção de anticorpos monoclonais recombinantes revolucionou a geração de imunoglobulinas e sua utilização implica em avanço estratégico, afetando o mercado farmacêutico global de proteínas terapêuticas. No presente trabalho, uma revisão sobre scFv e a relação do seu número de patentes foi analisada. Os resultados mostram que vários países apresentam patentes de scFv com destaque para os Estados Unidos, China e Reino Unido. Os alvos desses anticorpos também foram avaliados e as análises revelaram que a maioria é destinado a terapias contra o câncer.

O perfil brasileiro de propriedade intelectual em radiologia e diagnóstico por imagem em um contexto internacional, nos anos 2000-2009 / The Brazilian profile of intellectual property in radiology and imaging diagnosis in an international context in the years 2000 to 2009

OBJETIVO: Analisar a inovação tecnológica brasileira na área de radiologia e diagnóstico por imagem, em termos de indicadores de patentes. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Este é um estudo analítico-exploratório de informações recuperadas por meio de consultas cruzadas nas bases de dados dos escritórios de propriedade intelectual do Brasil (Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial - INPI), dos Estados Unidos (United States Patent and Trademark Office - USPTO) e da Europa (European Patent Office - EPO). RESULTADOS: Foram encontradas 277.057 patentes. Desse total, 7.800 foram registradas no INPI (3 por cento), 65.428 (24 por cento) registradas no EPO e 203.829 (73 por cento) emitidas no USPTO. O Brasil é o país signatário em 1.732 patentes publicadas no INPI, 80 no EPO e 26 no escritório USPTO. Globalmente, 219.993 (79 por cento) patentes referiam-se a dispositivos eletrônicos ligados a informática em saúde, ultrassonografia, ressonância magnética, tomografia computadorizada e procedimentos de geração, comunicação e arquivamento de imagens, e 57.064 (21 por cento) das patentes tratavam das tecnologias relacionadas a radioproteção e dosimetria, física nuclear, eletroterapia, terapia magnética e radioterapia. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados obtidos apontam para a fragilidade da produção nacional de inovação tecnológica registrada em patentes, no campo de radiologia e diagnóstico por Imagem.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the Brazilian technological innovation in the field of radiology and imaging diagnosis, in terms of patent indicators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Exploratory analytical study of information retrieved through cross queries in databases of intellectual property offices in Brazil (State Industrial Property Office [Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial - INPI]), United States (United States Patent and Trademark Office - USPTO) and Europe (European Patent Office - EPO). RESULTS: There were 277,057 patents in the field of radiology and imaging diagnosis. Of this total, 7,800 were registered at INPI (3 percent), 65,428 (24 percent) registered at the EPO and 203,829 (73 percent) issued by USPTO. Brazil is a signatory to 1,732 patents published by the INPI, 80 by the EPO and 26 by the USPTO. Overall, 219,993 (79 percent) patents were related to electronic devices strongly linked to information technology in health care, ultrasonography, tomography, magnetic resonance imaging procedures as well as to images generation, communication and archiving, and 57,064 patents (21 percent) dealt with technologies related to radiation protection and dosimetry, nuclear physics, electrotherapy, magnetic therapy and radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the weakness of the domestic production of patented technological innovation in the field of radiology and imaging diagnosis.