Spotlight: UC Berkeley in Licensing Deal With Novartis

UC Berkeley finalized a $25-million deal with Novartis, a pairing that will give the Swiss drug maker first crack at certain scientific innovations developed by Berkeley faculty. The university, which dismissed criticism that it was selling out, will continue to own all patents arising from the research and collect royalties. But Novartis, which will commit $25 million in five years to fund research in agricultural genomics, will receive first rights to license between 30% to 40% of the discoveries made.