Stem Cell Sciences has been granted the international patent for a form of cell nucleus replacement cloning, the technique used by Scottish scientists to clone Dolly the sheep in 1997.
Peter Mountford, Stem Cell Sciences executive director, said the company, which has funded cloning research in Australia since 1995, planned to use the cloning technique to find cures for genetic diseases.
However, the Australian government's failure to make a ruling on therapeutic human cloning may force the company to continue its work in the UK, where the government allows - but strictly regulates - therapeutic human cloning.
Dr Mountford called for a quick decision from the Australian government on stem cell research.
