Reliance Life gets 36 patents

Reliance Life Sciences, the Mukesh Ambani-controlled biotechnology-driven life sciences company, has received 36 patents from applications filed for 200 rights. The valuation of these patents could not be ascertained.

Of the accepted patents, six are design patents, seven product patents and 23 process patents.

These patents have been filed in 16 countries, including India and the US. "We are in the process of making assessment," said a top executive of the company. Experts said the depth and diversity of the company's patent portfolio were significant for a start-up company with just four years of active research.

Reliance Life Sciences is growing its intellectual property portfolio across the medical, plant and industrial biotechnology areas. The company is focussing on protecting its proprietary know-how and technology to give its products and services an edge.

The company aims to continue at the forefront of generating new patents in the biotechnology domain in the country.

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of the company, had earlier said, "The strong patent portfolio of Reliance Life Sciences is a facet of the transformation of Reliance from a consumer of intellectual property to a creator."

Reliance Life Sciences is the biggest intellectual property holder in the country in the field of stem cells. The company has covered a wide range of life science domains in its intellectual capital build-up, consistent with its research and development footprint "� stem cells and tissue engineering, therapeutic proteins, molecular diagnostics, genetics, plant metabolic engineering, plant tissue culture, biopolymers, biofuels and biochemicals.

Some of the important patents the company holds include process for isolation of inner cell mass using laser ablation technique for establishment of human embryonic stem cell lines; growth of human mesenchymal stem cells using cord blood serum; three dimensional dermal construct and diagnostic test to detect low-grade genetic abnormalities of ovaries in follicular fluid, which are usually not reflected in blood test or other biological samples.

A strong global patent portfolio will help the company compete globally in an innovative environment characterised by intellectual property creation and protection. Inherently, a strong patent portfolio would also contribute to significant value creation.