The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) issued the fourth most university biotechnology patents in the United States and Europe between 2008 and 2012, according to Bioentrepreneur.

Data in Bioentrepreneur said WARF earned 240 patents in that period. Meanwhile, the University of California system had 721, Duke had 303 and Stanford had 299.

“Through the patenting and licensing process, WARF works to move these inventions out of campus laboratories to commercial partners who use them to produce useful products for society that improve human health, offer environmental benefits and provide technological solutions for industries,” Michael Falk, WARF general council, said in a statement.

Overall, the number of U.S. biotechnology patents issued climbed nearly 30 percent over the past four years, Bioentrepreneur reported.