Patents Examined by Gary W. Counts
  • Encapsulated reagents and methods of use
    Patent number: 8785124
    Abstract: The present invention contemplates use of encapsulated aqueous and non-aqueous reagents, solutions and solvents and their use in laboratory procedures. These encapsulated aqueous or non-aqueous reagents, solutions and solvents can be completely contained or encapsulated in microcapsules or nanocapsules that can be added to an aqueous or non-aqueous carrier solution or liquid required for medical and research laboratory testing of biological or non-biological specimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventor: Lee H. Angros
  • Multiparametric method for assessing immune system status
    Patent number: 8759016
    Abstract: The invention provides a multiparametric method of assessing the reaction of a patient's immune system to a test subject. The invention compares a patient sample reacted with a test sample and a third party sample and combines the assessments of the multiple parameters to correlate the test reaction with a clinical event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventor: Rakesh Sindhi
  • Immunoassay method for detecting the presence of antibodies to intravenously injected oral medications
    Patent number: 8753823
    Abstract: The steps of the method are preparing a specific antigen; intravenously injecting prescription medication initially intended for oral consumption into the blood stream of the patient, the prescription medication including an inert binder; creating unnatural antibodies in response to antigenic stimulation; drawing a blood sample from a patient; mixing the drawn blood sample with the prepared specific antigen; and determining the presence of a formation of an antibody-antigen complex indicative of medication initially intended for oral consumption intravenously injected into the blood stream of a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Inventor: Stephen Stefano
  • Markers of renal transplant rejection and renal damage
    Patent number: 8741580
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of detecting renal transplant rejection and other forms of renal damage. Protein markers or renal damage are provided, along with assays for detecting said markers. Also provided are methods for identifying markers of renal damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Electrophoretics Limited
    Inventors: Stefan Kienle, Richard Joubert
  • Multiplex screening for lysosomal storage disorders (LSDS)
    Patent number: 8735173
    Abstract: A novel protein profiling method of testing for Lysosomal Storage Diseases (“LSD”) using discovered normalized lysosomal fingerprint patterns. The fingerprint patterns reveal the health of lysosomal organelles, specific LSD, and clinical severity. Multiplexing bead technology for simultaneous screening of multiple LSD and normalizing measured enzyme activity or protein levels against other lysosomal proteins, enzymes, or enzyme activities. Compounds, reagents, and methods for identifying and quantifying multiple target enzymes and proteins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Women's and Children's Hospital
    Inventors: Peter John Meikle, John Joseph Hopwood, Douglas Alexander Brooks, Caroline Dean
  • Purification of immunoglobulins
    Patent number: 8728828
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a separation matrix comprised of porous particles to which antibody-binding protein ligands have been immobilized, wherein the ligand density is in the range of 5.0-10 mg/ml; the gel phase distribution coefficient of the particles expressed as Kav for a dextran of size 110 kDa is above 0.65 and the median particle diameter is between 65-84 ?m. The carbohydrate material is preferably highly cross-linked agarose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB
    Inventors: Hans Berg, Hans Johansson, Gunnar Malmquist, Per-Mikael Aberg
  • Method for enhancing sensitivity or method for avoiding influence of hemoglobin in immunological measurement
    Patent number: 8722342
    Abstract: A method for enhancing measurement sensitivity or avoiding hemoglobin influence in a latex agglutination or metal agglutination immunoassay method of a target antigen in a biological sample that uses calixarene in the immunoassay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Sekisui Medical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Yamamoto, Akiko Suzuki
  • Methods for the detection of glycated hemoglobin
    Patent number: 8715942
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods for detecting glycated hemoglobin in, for example, human whole blood, that are not affected by the presence of variation in amino acid sequence that can exist in hemoglobin ? chains. The methods detect all glycated hemoglobin in a sample, regardless of the form of the hemoglobin that has been glycated, and thus detect glycated human Hemoglobin A, Hemoglobin S, and Hemoglobin C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Eddy Chapoteau, Richard Edwards, Chester Swirski, Wolodymyr Zazulak
  • Signal amplification technique for mass analysis
    Patent number: 8673653
    Abstract: Provided is a novel method for amplifying mass spectrometric signals. A novel method for detecting signals of a target molecule includes: allowing a sample, which comprises a target molecule, to contact a gold particle having a surface modified to selectively bind the target molecule, allowing a low molecular weight molecule engrafted to the gold particle generate mass spectrometric signals after the interaction, e.g., binding, between the gold particle and the target molecule, and amplifying the mass spectrometric signals to generate much mass spectrometric signals of the low molecular weight molecule even when trace amounts of the target molecule are present. An assay system using the method and the gold particle prepared in the method are provided. The method amplifies signals of the target molecule without pretreatment of a sample, making it possible to measure the target molecule simply and precisely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Diatech Korea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyung-Soon Park, Sang-Wan So, Woon-Seok Yeo, Soo-Jae Lee, Jung-Rok Lee, Ju-Hee o Lee, Kwang-Pyo Kim
  • Immune complex-specific antibodies for increased sensitivity in immunoassay array tests
    Patent number: 8664007
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for determining antigen-specific antibodies of a particular immunoglobulin class in a sample by means of an immunoassay in an array format in which various binding partners Bnx are bound on different discrete areas on a support where Bnx in each case contain the various antigens that are able to specifically bind to the antibodies to be detected, by incubating the support with the sample and a binding partner B2 which carries a label and subsequently detecting the label on the respective discrete areas wherein B2 specifically binds antibodies of a certain immunoglobulin class that have been bound in an antigen-specific manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ursula Klause, Helmut Lenz, Christine Markert-Hahn
  • Immunoassay for determining the release of neurotensin into the circulation
    Patent number: 8637256
    Abstract: The invention relates to an immunodiagnostic method for determining the release of neurotensin into the circulation of mammals based on the selective determination of an immunoreactivity of the N-terminal portion of a mammal proneurotensin (PNT immunoreactivity) in a serum or plasma sample of a mammal; this immunoreactivity is not neurotensin or neuromedin immunoreactivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sphingotec GmbH
    Inventor: Andrea Ernst
  • Homogeneous detection method
    Patent number: 8628933
    Abstract: The invention relates to a kit for a homogenous detection method for the quantitative or qualitative detection of an analyte in an assay and adequate reagents therefor, particularly a homogenous binding test. According to the invention, an analyte-specific binding partner R1 comprises more than one specific binding point for a specific binding partner X that is associated with a component of a signal-forming system while a second analyte-specific binding partner R2 comprises more than one specific binding point for a specific binding partner Y which is also associated with a component of a signal-forming system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Products GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Schelp, Michael Trier, Hrair Kirakossian
  • TSH immunoassays employing scavenging reagents for cross-reacting endocrine glycoprotein hormone analogues
    Patent number: 8617826
    Abstract: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) immunoassays are performed using an ELISA sandwich assay that employs scavenging or sacrificial beads for reducing interference caused by cross-reacting endocrine glycoprotein hormone analogues such as Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Chorionic Gonadotropin (CG).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Abbott Point of Care Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon Bruce Collier, John Emegbero Omakor
  • Methods for identifying, purifying and enriching immature or stem cancer-initiating cells from tumors and use thereof
    Patent number: 8614095
    Abstract: Methods for the preparation of cell compositions based on fluorescence following excitation at wavelength of or about 488 nm and isolated cell compositions obtained therefrom wherein isolated cells exhibit (i) autofluorescence at or about 520 nm or (ii) absence of fluorescence at or about 520 nm and a positive shift in the fluorescence detected at >630 nm. These methods provide for enrichment of immature or stem cancer-initiating cells from tumors (notably, cancers of the central and peripheral nervous system and metastasis to the brain) and methods for screening antitumor agents using the same. Also provided are methods of detecting immature or stem cancer-initiating cells in a cell sample and methods of detecting recurrence of cancer stem cells in a cancer stem cell sample following treatment with an agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignees: Universite de Geneve, Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve
    Inventors: Ivan Radovanovic, Virginie Clement
  • Method
    Patent number: 8609436
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of detecting the presence of anti-MHC antibodies in a sample comprising contacting said sample with one or more recombinant MHC molecules or functionally equivalent variants, derivatives or fragments thereof and detecting the binding or absence of binding of antibodies to said recombinant MHC molecules. This method allows the detection and/or identification of one or more specific MHC particularly HLA allele antibodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust (“GST”), King's College London, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS (“ORH”) Trust of the John Radcliffe Hospital
    Inventors: Martin C. N. M. Barnardo, Andrea W. Harmer, Michael Bunce, Robert W. Vaughn, Kenneth I. Welsh
  • Use of periostin as a novel biomarker
    Patent number: 8592223
    Abstract: The invention provides, in certain embodiments, a method of assaying an indicator of, and treating, renal injury or renal disease. The method entails assaying a urine sample for periostin, wherein the presence of periostin at an elevated level indicates the presence and/or degree of renal injury or renal disease. The method also involves prescribing, initiating, or altering prophylaxis or therapy for renal injury or renal disease. Also provided, are methods of determining progression of these conditions, as well as methods of determining subjects' response to treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
    Inventors: Sharon Adler, Bancha Satirapoj, Ying Wang, Janine LaPage, Cynthia C. Nast
  • Analyte-releasing beads and use thereof in quantitative elispot or fluorispot assay
    Patent number: 8569074
    Abstract: A method of quantifying analyte secreted by a cell or released from a drug delivery vehicle, typically by ELISpot or fluorispot assay is described. Quantification is possible through the use of an analyte-releasing reagent that includes a bead and the analyte releasably bound to the bead, or a container pre-spotted with analyte released from the reagent. The reagent or pre-spotted containers can be used to provide a standard curve for release of the analyte. By detecting analyte secreted by one or more cells or drug released by a drug delivery vehicle, and comparing the detected analyte to the standard curve, it is possible to quantify the amount of analyte released by the one or more cells or drug released by the drug delivery vehicle. Kits and reagents for practicing the methods of the present invention are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Martin S. Zand, Alicia D. Henn
  • Method for detecting lysosomal storage diseases
    Patent number: 8569001
    Abstract: A method for detecting lysosomal storage diseases including the steps of performing an assay for a single species of glycosaminoglycan contained in a specimen and correlating results of the assay with lysosomal storage diseases. A body fluid such as urine or blood can be employed as a specimen. The assay can be performed by use of a polypeptide that is capable of specifically binding to a glycosaminoglycan-containing molecule. The polypeptide may be an antibody, or a polypeptide having an antigen-binding site of an antibody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignees: Seikagaku Corporation, Saint Louis University
    Inventors: Kazuo Okamura, Shuichi Miyaura, Shunji Tomatsu
  • Diagnosis and treatment of preeclampsia
    Patent number: 8568999
    Abstract: The present invention relates to biomarkers for preeclampsia as well as treatment of this disease. In particular, the invention relates to methods for diagnosis or aiding in the diagnosis of preeclampsia of a pregnant female mammal to detect elevated levels of free haemoglobin, particularly free fetal haemoglobin. This facilitates and makes possible early diagnosis and clinical intervention when a preeclamptic condition is found. In addition, the invention relates to a method to treat female mammals with preeclampsia with the purpose to reverse the pathological conditions associated with this disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: A1M Pharma AB
    Inventors: Stefan Hansson, Bo Akerstrom
  • Complement-mediated thrombophilic assay
    Patent number: 8563259
    Abstract: A method for assessing the presence of an acquired thrombophilia disorder in a patient exhibiting hypercoagulation is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: John D. Lambris, Konstantinos Ritis