Patents on products derived from human embryonic stem cells has allowed the European Court of Justice. Because of the ethical criticism of researchers have been working longer safe alternatives to embryonic stem cells.

Products derived from human embryonic stem cells can not be patented if it fertilized eggs must be destroyed or damaged. This was decided by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg on Tuesday in a patent dispute over the German scientist Oliver Bruestle. Accordingly, already fertilized eggs are legally to be regarded as embryos.

For embryonic stem cell research in Germany, the ruling now means not to shut down. However, the ECJ has concreted the restrictions imposed by the Embryo Protection Law further. Then it is banned in this country to produce human embryos for research purposes, to clone or destroy. However, under certain conditions it is permitted to import embryonic stem cells in Germany, before 1 May have been won 2007th

As early as 1999 Patent Pending
Cause of years of debate, was that the neurobiologist Oliver Bruestle since 1999 has the patent for the growth of human nerve cells from embryonic stem cells. According to the wording of the patent was allowed by the Bonn researchers clone human embryos, then use for the extraction of stem cells and thus destroy it. Bruestle used the human embryo-derived progenitor cells for brain and spinal cord to neurological diseases like Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis to treat.

Since 2004, Greenpeace sued for ethical reasons against the patent. In 2006, the Federal Patent Court had revoked the patent and particularly controversial passages refer to the protection of human dignity and human life. Oliver Bruestle demanded in the proceedings before the ECJ, that human embryos up to 14 Day of life to share. In the next instance of the Federal Court was seized of the matter, which referred the question to Luxembourg.

Protection of the embryos confirmed
To import from the possibility of embryonic stem cells in Germany, several research groups in Germany make use of. Parkinson’s, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia and damage after a heart attack or stroke – is the long list of ailments that doctors could continue to heal with stem cells. Scientists explore the basics of animal cells. Only when attempts were successful, they apply for a license to work on human stem cells.

Oliver Bruestle, director of the Institute for Reconstructive Neurobiology at Bonn University, was the first researcher in Germany, applied for a license to conduct research on human embryonic stem cells. The aim of his research group is to nerve cells to replace embryonic stem cells. Because, unlike skin, bone or mucous membranes can be nerve, spinal cord or brain regenerate barely. Once by stroke, Parkinson’s or spinal cord injuries necrotic tissue is usually lost forever. However, embryonic stem cells could deliver supplies. In the laboratory, Oliver Bruestle associated neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells already with the nerve cells of mice and rats, and exchanged them with signals.

Escape by endogenous pluripotent stem (iPS)
The massive critique of research with embryonic stem cells, and legislative restrictions have spurred researchers to look for ethically acceptable alternatives. After a long time, the adult stem cells in the focus of interest was, meanwhile, the so-called induced pluripotent stem (IPS), the great hope. The idea is, the body cells using specific control genes restore to their original condition, so that they behave much like embryonic stem cells. Meanwhile, it has been shown that the method also works with human cells.

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