SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The BioBricks Foundation (BBF), a public benefit charity promoting biotechnology in the public interest, and Sagacious Research (Sagacious), a private company committed to solving intellectual property and business challenges in the innovation ecosystem, today announced a groundbreaking agreement to advance the scalable production of an open biotechnology commons.

Sagacious Research will conduct property rights searches to identify patent claims for sequences submitted to the BioBricks' Free Genes project. By identifying rights that could potentially block uses of genetic sequences, Sagacious Research will help ensure that Free Genes are actually free for everyone to use. Importantly, the BBF-Sagacious public-private partnership uses an open workflow that all people and organizations can both access and support.  "Our goal is to enable everyone everywhere to cooperate in creating a pubic dictionary of DNA elements.  The languages of life should be free to use," said Drew Endy, Ph.D., Stanford Bioengineering professor and BioBricks Foundation president, adding "The BBF is thrilled to partner with Sagacious, true professionals who share our vision of scaling an open biotechnology commons."

Anant Kataria, CEO of Sagacious Research, continued, "Sagacious is excited to partner with BioBricks and support their cause of enabling innovation in biotechnology.  It takes vision, courage and undying determination to undertake massive-scale initiatives like the BioBricks' Free Genes project. We are glad to contribute in bringing this vision to life by our expertise in patent sequence searching."

All materials developed via the BioBricks Free Genes project and checked by Sagacious Research are being made freely available under the terms of the Open Material Transfer Agreement (OpenMTA).  "Using the OpenMTA for transfer of Free Genes materials helps ensure these materials remain free of restrictions hindering beneficial uses and redistribution," noted Linda Kahl, PhD, JD, senior counsel for the BioBricks Foundation.

"It is our social responsibility to give back a part of what the world has given us. Sagacious shall remain committed to this partnership with BioBricks and the Free Genes Project for the interest and welfare of the society," said Ram Tenneti, Executive Vice President, Client Engagement for Sagacious Research.

About the Free Genes Project

The BioBricks' Free Genes project (freegenes.org) is increasing access to genetic tools by enabling a distributed community to collectively propose and prioritize 10,000 genes for free DNA synthesis. Proposed genes are checked for safety and security aspects, technical stability, and potential third-party patent claims. Genes are then synthesized by Twist Bioscience Corporation and then made freely available to the entire world via the Open Material Transfer Agreement (biobricks.org/openmta) and bionet (biobricks.org/bionet).

About BioBricks Foundation

The BioBricks Foundation is a public-benefit charity whose mission is to ensure the engineering of biology is conducted in an open and ethical manner to benefit all people and the planet.  Visit biobricks.org to learn more.

About Sagacious Research

Sagacious Research is an award-winning IP research & consulting firm specializing in IP strategy, innovation management, IP monetization and other aspects of IP lifecycle. Sagacious' solutions pertain to technology/IP landscapes, licensing/commercialization, patent litigation, invention management, patent prosecution, paralegal support, patent annuities, and trademark research. Visit sagaciousresearch.com to learn more.

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Contacts

BioBricks Foundation Media Contact:
Brian Schulz
press@biobricks.org

Sagacious Research Media Contact:
Ram Tenneti
press@sagaciousresearch.com

SOURCE The BioBricks Foundation Inc

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