In a decision that essentially marks the end of the genome wars, Celera Genomics will release its formerly proprietary human, mouse, and rat genome sequences to the public domain. The decision goes into effect on July 1. Launched in 1998, Celera's original business model sought to charge hefty subscription fees to its proprietary genome data from biopharmaceutical companies. While allowing limited access to academic users, Celera declined to deposit its data into the public archive, GenBank. The timing of Celera's decision to release the genomes into the public domain was entirely financially based. "It was pure cost-benefit analysis," says David Speechly, Celera's senior director of investor relations and corporate communications. The subscription revenue no longer justified the cost of maintaining the online service, he says. Celera's turnabout has generated some kiss-and-make-up feelings from former rivals. Francis Collins, who led the public human genome consortium and is director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, told Nature, "They have done a generous thing here and should be getting a lot of credit."
Posted by
Peter Suber at 7/07/2005 09:16:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
