They have been licensed to a biotech company now. From a pure science perspective, I'd rather be honest and open at meetings about any science we have, but because of these proprietary agreements I can't be. We have to find a way to keep all parties' interests addressed. If we have to tell companies what we're doing before we publish, that's okay. But we can't let them muzzle us or have veto power over what we can say.
Companies usually come in wanting everything secret.
Scientists want total openness. We work it out. At Amgen Inc., a biopharmaceutical firm in Thousand Oaks, Calif., for example, the company has 30 days to review a collaborating scientist's results prior to submitting the work for publication. Amgen looks for confidential company information that the firm provided or generated itself. The company also has 90 days to request a patent on any appropriate findings, which may delay publication.