Microorganism preservation and patenting
The loss of critical bioactivity can have disastrous consequences for businesses; the failure of a drug production strain could cost millions.
The optimal preservation and storage of such strains is essential. Making sure that genetically stable 'back-up materials' are available is good practice. Well-preserved strains can be recovered quickly for use in industrial processes. It is also important to ensure that samples are well preserved early in new process development. |
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Legal requirements often dictate that strains are stored in a repository for genetically stable storage to allow for future comparisons in the case of disputes. Optimal preservation and storage is essential for organisms that could eventually form part of a patent application.
Scientific deposit
Microorganisms cited in publications, including new species and interesting strains, should be stored in a public service collection to facilitate long-term access for research and confirmation of published results. Such deposits are accepted into the CABI collections. Capacity is limited, and strains must, therefore, meet specific criteria relating to the scope and capacity of CABI’s interests.
Safe desposit
In response to ever changing legal and regulatory requirements, CABI has expanded its Safe Deposit service, offering customers a higher degree of service and reassurance for the long term storage of valuable isolates. You can deposit microorganisms with us confidentially and we will preserve them as freeze dried samples and in liquid nitrogen to ensure stability of the material. We can also preserve and store organisms cited in patents and pre-patent application strains for their safe keeping.
CABI is now offering the following three service options:
• Safe Deposit ‘Platinum’: Molecular strain definition of stored strains including comparison against relevant Type strains. cost: £500 per strain ‘one off’ fee + yearly charge for ‘Gold’ safe deposit option
cost: £200 per strain, per annum
cost: £75 per strain, per annum. |
In addition to this, we are launching the ‘CABI Stability Check’. A monitoring service to ensure the stability of production cultures by checking them against cultures in long-term storage. The nature of microorganisms means that they often change over time due to strain drift or mutation etc. In some cases this can mean that the very activity that makes an organism commercially important becomes either compromised or completely lost. In order to safeguard against this, CABI undertakes a range of tests that can effectively ‘assess’ the stability of production strains. In extreme cases we can recover activities previously considered lost.
We will also advise on the best ways to store and maintain specific microorganisms, as well as providing a regular supply service to ensure that only the best cultures are used in production.
cost: From £1500 per strain depending on the techniques and level of service required
Patent deposit
As an International Depository Authority under the Budapest Treaty 1977, we offer the facilities to safely preserve and store important microorganisms for patent application, enabling you to protect scientific discoveries and product development. To download our patent forms please click on their title below.
Patent application form / Patent deposit instructions / Patent accession
Preservation of strains
If your organisms can be freeze dried then CABI can prepare ampoules for you to store and use.
Please contact us on 01491 829016 or by emailing: microbiologicalservices@cabi.org for further information.