More drama in the CRISPR patent fight

If you enjoy mudslinging, you’ll love the latest incarnation of the CRISPR patent battle between the Broad Institute and the University of California. In legal documents filed this week, UC accuses the Broad’s CRISPR biologist Feng Zhang of essentially stealing UC’s work, presenting “incomplete, cherry-picked data” in patent documents, and intentionally omitting information “that shows his claims of successful DNA [editing] to be false.” The patent case that began in late June will decide whether 10 CRISPR patent applications submitted by UC and its partners claim the same invention — use of CRISPR to edit the genomes of eukaryotes — as a dozen key CRISPR patents already awarded to the Broad. If UC can show the Broad’s patents are based on lies and science fraud, it could get them invalidated, clearing the path for its own applications to finally be granted.