After a three-year long battle between Western Australia’s health department and leading Perth scientist Dr. Marian Sturm, a top-secret peace deal has finally been reached. The East Metropolitan Health Service and Sturm’s company, Isopogen, confirmed this week that they had come to a mutually acceptable, confidential settlement. The agreement provides a comprehensive framework for an ongoing relationship between the two parties, although the exact details of the deal remain undisclosed.
The settlement between the state-run health service and Isopogen was described as securing “important benefits” related to an innovative cell therapy utilizing various patents invented by Sturm during her time at Royal Perth Hospital. The dispute between the two parties began in 2021 when the health service took legal action against Sturm on the day of her retirement, alleging that she had breached her contract by claiming intellectual property rights to a treatment she had developed. This treatment involved a method for manufacturing mesenchymal stromal cells, which are used to treat inflammatory illnesses.
The improved method for manufacturing mesenchymal stromal cells was developed in 2007 and was registered in Sturm’s name and that of her capital-raising vehicle, Isopogen. Isopogen managed to raise enough capital to support clinical trials of the patent, which was eventually approved in various countries including Australia, the United States, South Africa, Japan, Israel, and Singapore. Sturm’s success in developing this treatment saw her become the public face of the cellular therapy facility at Royal Perth Hospital, where she was used by the health department’s publicity team to showcase their life-changing research.
The peace treaty between Dr. Marian Sturm and the state-run health service signifies the end of a long-standing feud that has lasted for three years. While both parties have chosen to keep the details of the settlement confidential, they have confirmed that it provides a foundation for an ongoing relationship moving forward. The settlement is expected to bring closure to a contentious legal battle that began with allegations of contract breaches and intellectual property disputes surrounding a groundbreaking treatment developed by Sturm during her tenure at Royal Perth Hospital.
The settlement between the East Metropolitan Health Service and Isopogen marks the end of a contentious chapter in the field of medical research and cell therapy innovation. By resolving their differences through an undisclosed agreement, both parties have decided to focus on the potential benefits of their collaboration and the innovative cell therapy developed by Dr. Marian Sturm. The successful resolution of this dispute opens the door for continued progress and development in the field of cellular therapy, potentially benefiting patients worldwide with the application of Sturm’s groundbreaking treatment for inflammatory illnesses.
