Disgraced stem cell pioneer gets first cloning patent

SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- Disgraced South Korean stem cell scientist Hwang
Woo-suk has won a patent from Australian authorities for his work on cloning
human embryos, a research colleague said Tuesday.
Hwang, once considered a national hero, has been on trial since 2006 on charges
of fraud and violation of bioethics laws after his team was found in January 2006
to have fabricated laboratory test results to claim success in his study.
He was sacked by his employer, Seoul National University, in 2006 amid a global
furor over his fabricated study results. The 54-year-old Hwang, who has
reportedly been seeking to regain his lost credibility, is continuing his
research at SooAm Biotech Research Foundation in South Korea.
"IP Australia notified us it was awarding the patent on Sept. 23 through a legal
agent in Australia," said Hyun Sang-hwan, head of the foundation. IP Australia is
the agency that grants Australian patents.
"The certificate of the patent will be issued on Sept. 25," said Hyun, who is
also a veterinary professor at Chungbuk National University.
With the decision by the Australian patent agency, Hwang's work for cloning
embryonic stem cells becomes the world's first patented technology of stem cell
research on human embryos, according to Hyun.
Hwang wasn't immediately available for comments.
In 2004 and 2005, Hwang said his team had cloned the first human embryo for
research and produced patent-specific embryonic stem cells, but the results were
later found to be fake.
At that time, prosecutors said Hwang had ordered the data be fabricated,
seriously violating bioethics laws.
Scientists say that embryonic stem cells have the potential to develop into other
kinds of cells that could possibly be used to treat chronic ailments such as
heart failure, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's.
Still, the research is controversial because scientists destroy embryos in the
process of extracting embryonic stem cells.