Q&A

For Academia

  • We want to carry out academic research using iPS cells, and provide a third party with iPS cells generated by us in the research or cells derived from such iPS cells. Do we need a patent license?

    Basically, no. Not-for-profit entities such as universities need not take a patent license from us to use iPS cells for non-commercial purposes (for example, academic research or educational purposes) (See License Policy);however, they need our patent license to use iPS cells for commercial purposes.

    Regarding the provision of the iPS cells or the iPS cell-derived cells,
    1. (Case) Provision not for financial gain
      You need not take a patent license from us. In this case, the third party needs our patent license if the third party is a company. VisitFAQ "For Companies" Q2for more details.
    2. (Case) Provision for financial gain
      You need our patent license.
    Please contact us for details.

  • We want to conduct collaborative research with a company using iPS cells. Do we need a patent license?

    No, you don't. Basically, the company needs our patent license. Visit FAQ "For Companies" Q3for more details.

  • We plan to launch a company to put results of iPS cell research to practical use. Do we need a patent license?

    No, you don't. However, basically the company needs our patent license. See License Program.

  • We filed a patent application related to pluripotent stem cells. Can you add it to your patent portfolio? Please tell us your licensing-in activities.

    We can add the patent application to our patent portfolio after entering into an agreement with you. We willingly receive an offer about patent applications related to pluripotent stem cells including iPS cells. See Looking for your Patents, and contact us for details.

    The added patent application will be shown on our website and in our brochure soon after the publication of the application. We also introduce the application in exhibitions and conferences to make the application be recognized by our licensees and other companies.

  • What is the feature of your patent portfolio?

    Our patent portfolio includes not only patents of iPS cell reprogramming but also those of differentiation, purification, drug discovery, regenerative medicine and so on. We have licensed in patents from entities worldwide as an Approved TLO (Technology Licensing Organization), and our licensors gradually increases.

    Visit Patent Portfolio and find our licensors. You can retrieve details of the patents from the webpage by category or using the keyword search function.

For Companies

  • We want to carry out internal research using iPS cells. Do we need a patent license?

    Basically, yes. See License Program、Internal Research License and FAQ "For Companies" Q2、FAQ "For Companies" Q3 and then contact us for more details. Please provide us with the following information, which will enable us to reply efficiently.

    1. Company name and company information (number of employees, year of establishment, and annual sales of previous year)
    2. Country or region where iPS cells are used
    3. Summary of internal research
    4. Whether you will make iPS cells by yourself, and whether you will use reprogramming kits to make iPS cells
    5. Entity from which you will obtain iPS cells, cell line name, intended date of obtainment
    6. Whether you will conduct screening (Visit FAQ "For Companies" Q4 for the definition of screening)
    7. Whether you will conduct collaborative research with a third party, or use a CRO for the internal research

  • We want to obtain iPS cells or iPS cell-derived cells from a not-for-profit entity and use them for our internal research. Do we need a patent license?

    Yes, you do. See License Program and Internal Research License, and then contact us for more details. Please provide us with the following information, which will enable us to reply efficiently.

    1. Company name and company information (number of employees, year of establishment, and annual sales of previous year)
    2. Country or region where iPS cells are used
    3. Summary of internal research
    4. Whether you will make iPS cells by yourself
    5. Entity from which you will obtain iPS cells, cell line name, intended date of obtainment
    6. Whether you will conduct screening (Visit FAQ "For Companies" Q4 for the definition of screening)
    7. Whether you will conduct collaborative research with a third party, or use a CRO for the internal research

  • We want to conduct collaborative research with a third party using iPS cells. Do we need a patent license?

    (Case 1) Collaborative research between you and a not-for-profit entity
    Basically, you need our patent license.
    (Case 2) Collaborative research between you and a company
    Basically, both you and the company need our patent license.

    n some cases of Cases 1 and 2, you need not take a patent license from us depending on your involvement in the collaborative research, so please contact us for more details. Please provide us with the following information, which will enable us to reply efficiently.

    1. Entity with which you will conduct the collaborative research
    2. Summary of the collaborative research
    3. Division of roles between you and the third party
    4. How the results of the collaborative research will be handled (e.g., ownership of the results)

  • What does the term "screening" described in License Program mean?

    t means any activity to select chemical compounds, antibodies, proteins, peptides, nucleotides, and others as candidate active ingredients (including leading compounds) of products for humans and animals, which is carried out through the evaluation of bioactivities, pharmacological activities, toxicities, ADME, and so on, and where the products include those for use mainly in therapy, prophylaxis, diagnosis, or in the maintenance or improvement of health conditions. Please contact us for more details.

  • Can we change the type of license during a license term?

    Yes, you can. For example, if you first carry out internal research to develop an assay system for conducting screening, and then start conducting screening, you can first take Contract 1 or 2, and then switch the license to Contract 3 or 4 before conducting screening. We will propose you a suitable license type based on your plan. Please contact us if you have a specific schedule or a desired license plan.

  • We want to sell iPS cells, iPS cell reprogramming kits or iPS cell-derived cells, and provide services using them. Can you tell us financial terms of a patent license?

    he terms and conditions of the patent license vary depending on the scope of license (e.g., patents to be licensed, types of products or services, and territory). See Manufacture, Sales, Service License, and then contact us. Please provide us with the following information, which will enable us to reply efficiently.

    1. Company name and company information (number of employees, year of establishment, and amount of investments, funds or grants ever collected)
    2. Regarding the products and services
      • Whether you will sell iPS cells
      • Whether you will sell iPS cell reprogramming kits
      • Whether you will sell iPS cell-derived cells (if so, name of cell type)
      • Whether you will provide services (if so, summary of the services)
    3. Country or region where the products or services are provided

  • We want to develop, make and sell products for regenerative medicine which contain iPS cell-derived cells. Do we need a patent license? If so, please tell us financial terms.

    Yes, you do. A company who runs a business by developing, making and selling products for regenerative medicine (i.e., company who will obtain NDA approval) needs our patent license. Visit Therapeutic Use License for the financial terms, and then contact us for more details. Please provide us with the following information, which will enable us to reply efficiently.

    1. Company name and company information (number of employees, year of establishment, and amount of investments, funds or grants ever collected)
    2. Regarding the products
      • Name of cell type of iPS cell-derived cells to be contained in the products
      • Summary of development plan
    3. Country or region where the products are developed, made and sold

  • Can you tell us some examples of not-for-profit entities providing iPS cells?

    The Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) of Kyoto University, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (RIKEN BRC) Cell Bank, Japanese Collection of Research Bioresources Cell Bank (JCRB Cell Bank) are some of the examples. Please contact us for other not-for-profit entities or the necessity of a license.

  • Why do you disclose standard financial terms of licenses on your website?

    Our mission is to facilitate the prompt and appropriate application of iPS cell technologies with the aim of benefiting the health and welfare of the human race as an Approved TLO (Technology Licensing Organization) specialized in iPS cells and their related field. Our transparent license program in which standard financial terms are disclosed can advance our licensing-out activities smoothly and fairly. We place importance on an environment where iPS cell-related patents can be used by as many companies as possible.

  • What is the feature of your patent portfolio?

    Our patent portfolio includes not only patents of iPS cell reprogramming but also of differentiation, purification, drug discovery, regenerative medicine and so on. We have licensed in patents from entities worldwide including Kyoto University as an Approved TLO (Technology Licensing Organization), and our licensors gradually increases.
    Visit Patent Portfolio and find our licensors. You can retrieve details of the patents from the webpage by category and using the keyword search function.

  • We want to receive technical guidance about a patented invention in your patent portfolio. Can you introduce its inventor to us?

    Yes, we can do it depending on a case. Please contact us with your specific request.