A domestic research team has secured a U.S. patent for technology to produce human embryonic stem cells using frozen balstocyst embryos left over from infertility treatment.

A Maria Biotech team led by Park Se-pill on Monday said it received the patent four years after it applied for patents in 108 countries.

A blastocyst is an embryo that has been developed for at least five days before being frozen.

The technology is expected to generate enormous economic benefits once scientists develop sufficient technologies to utilize embryonic stem cells to treat incurable diseases.

The team said it improved the success rate of producing embryonic stem cells to 63 percent from the normal 10 to 36 percent.

Another research team led by cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-suk uses cloned embryos to produce stem cells, but has yet to secure a patent.