Two consumer groups that had challenged three key human embryonic stem cell patents held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation said Friday that they have filed an appeal to the patent office’s decision to uphold the patents.
Consumer Watchdog, formerly The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, and the Public Patent Foundation appealed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Board of Appeals and Interferences. The appeal comes three weeks after the agency ended the review of two key patents, upholding the validity of both in official certifications.