>No, companies will stop doing research now.

That's what I'm worried about, too.

For example C60 [1] is a curious molecule that can't be patented anymore. In a rat study it showed to prolong the rats' lives by over 90% [2] by protecting the rats from cancer.

Sadly there won't be any human study anytime soon (if at all) because it's just not financially viable without the possibility of patenting the stuff and extracting fantasy prices for it.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckminsterfullerene

[2] http://www.kurzweilai.net/fullerene-c60-administration-doubl...