Patents Examined by Chih-Min Kam
  • Polypeptides and biosynthetic pathways for the production of monatin and its precursors
    Patent number: 8372989
    Abstract: Methods and compositions that can be used to make monatin from glucose, tryptophan, indole-3-lactic acid, indole-3-pyruvate, and 2-hydroxy 2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-4-keto glutaric acid, are provided. Methods are also disclosed for producing the indole-3-pyruvate and 2-hydroxy 2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-4-keto glutaric acid intermediates. Compositions provided include nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides, chemical structures, and cells. Methods include in vitro and in vivo processes, and the in vitro methods include chemical reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Cargill, Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy W. Abraham, Douglas C. Cameron, Paula M. Hicks, Sara C. McFarlan, John Rosazza, Lishan Zhao, David P. Weiner
  • Destruction of microbial products by enzymatic digestion
    Patent number: 8349813
    Abstract: Methods of treating a dialysis component by providing a dialysis component and contacting the dialysis component with an enzyme are provided. The enzyme breaks down microbial contaminants in the dialysis component. The enzyme may be separated from the dialysis component to provide a purified dialysis component. The purified dialysis component may be substantially free of microbial contaminants that cause a cytokine response in humans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Richard J. Johnson, Valerie Leesch, Clifford Holmes, Run Wang
  • Tissue adhesives and sealants and method for their use
    Patent number: 8349349
    Abstract: Compositions provided by mixing a biotin-containing component and an avidin-containing component are useful as an adhesive or sealant for medical/surgical uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Timothy Sargeant, Joshua Stopek, Ahmad Robert Hadba
  • sp. for degrading tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) and its application
    Patent number: 8343750
    Abstract: The invention discloses an Ochrobactrum sp. for degrading TBBPA and its application in environmental remediation. An Ochrobactrum sp. for degrading TBBPA was isolated from the sludge in a high risk area of electronic waste in the invention. The strain is named as Ochrobactrum sp. T, which has been deposited in China Center for Type Culture Collection (CCTCC) on Oct. 28, 2009 with an accession number of CCTCC M209246. Ochrobactrum sp. T obtained in the invention has high degradation capability to TBBPA in environment. The degradation efficiency of the strain achieves 96.2%. The strain could be applied to degrading TBBPA in environmental remediation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science
    Inventors: Guiying Li, Taicheng An, Lei Zu
  • Protease-sensitive site in apolipoprotein A1, therapeutic and diagnostic implications
    Patent number: 8343932
    Abstract: The invention relates to the identification of a naturally occurring internal proteolytic cleavage site in the ApoA1 protein, which leads to inactivation of the mature protein. Specific modification of this cleavage site leads to a stabilised ApoA1 protein, which is beneficial for the reverse cholesterol transport. The invention therefore encompasses pharmaceutical compositions comprising a recombinant stabilised variant ApoA1 protein or rHDL particles comprising such a protein, for use in the treatment of patients having reduced HDL or hampered reverse cholesterol transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Pronota N.V.
    Inventors: Sven Eyckerman, Koen Kas, Christine Labeur
  • Methods of inhibiting and treating bacterial biofilms by metal chelators
    Patent number: 8343911
    Abstract: The invention presented herein provides methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections. The methods are based on the discovery that depletion of bioavailable iron stimulates surface motility in bacteria thus inhibiting the ability of a bacterial population to develop into a biofilm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
    Inventors: Pradeep K. Singh, Michael J. Welsh, E. Peter Greenberg
  • Pelletization process to control filamentous fungi morphology for enhanced reactor rheology bioproduct formation
    Patent number: 8343741
    Abstract: Filamentous fungi are grown in pellet form by culturing the filamentous fungi in liquid culture under one or more of the following conditions: 1) with addition of particulate substrates: 2) using spores which have been stored for a period of time prior to inoculation; and 3) using high spore inoculum concentrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Washington State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Yan Liu, Wei Liao, Craig Frear, Shulin Chen
  • Recombinant lactoferrins, methods of production from plants and uses thereof
    Patent number: 8334254
    Abstract: The invention concerns the use of a recombinant nucleotide sequence containing a cDNA coding for a lactoferrin, in particular human lactoferrin, or the derived proteins, and elements enabling a plant cell to produce lactoferrin or the derived proteins, coded by the cDNA, in particular a transcription promoter and terminator identified by the plant cell transcription machinery, to transform plant cells in order to obtain, from these cells, or plants obtained therefrom, lactoferrin or derived proteins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: EDULIS
    Inventors: Dominique Legrand, Valerie Salmon, Genevieve Spik, Veronique Gruber, Philippe Bournat, Bertrand Merot
  • Thiamin production by fermentation
    Patent number: 8329395
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing thiamin products using a microorganism containing a mutation that causes it to overproduce and release thiamin products into the medium. Biologically pure cultures of the microorganisms and isolated polynucleotides containing the mutations are also provided. In addition, methods for detecting a pathogenic microorganism in a clinical sample, assays for identifying an antibiotic, as well as, antibiotics identified by such assays are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: DSM IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: Markus G. Goese, John B. Perkins, Ghislain Schyns
  • Method of stabilizing heme protein and storage solution therefor
    Patent number: 8329943
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing a hem protein which is effective against the denaturation and degradation of a hem protein typified by hemoglobin and a storage solution therefor. A method of stabilizing a hem protein and a storage solution therefor characterized in that an iminocarboxylic acid or its salt is made to coexist in a sample containing the hem protein, wherein the above-described iminocarboxylic acid is a compound represented by the following general formula (1) wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; and X's represent each a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal or an ammonium group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shin Sugo
  • Process for the biological generation of methane
    Patent number: 8323938
    Abstract: A process is specified for the biological generation of methane (CH4), which process is firstly environmentally friendly and inexpensive, and secondly avoids the use of fossil deposits. The process is divided into two steps, wherein first hydrogen (H2)and oxygen (O2) are generated from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) by algae with the action of light. In the second step, methane (CH4) is isolated by methanogenesis bacteria from the hydrogen (H2) which is generated and from carbon dioxide (CO2). To increase the yield of the process, interfering intracellular oxygen (O2) can be bound in the algae and/or in the methanogenesis bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ralf Salvetzki
    Inventor: Ralf Salvetzki
  • Liquid, aqueous pharmaceutical compositions of factor VII polypeptides
    Patent number: 8318904
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to liquid, aqueous pharmaceutical compositions stabilized against chemical and/or physical degradation containing Factor VII polypeptides, and methods for preparing and using such compositions, as well as vials containing such compositions, and the use of such compositions in the treatment of a Factor VII-responsive syndrome. The main embodiment is represented by a liquid, aqueous pharmaceutical composition comprising at least 0.01 mg/mL of a Factor VII polypeptide (i); a buffering agent (ii) suitable for keeping pH in the range of from about 4.0 to about 9.0; and at least one stabilizing agent (iii) comprising a —C(?N—Z1—R1)—NH—Z2—R2 motif, e.g. benzamidine compounds and guanidine compounds such as arginine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Novo Nordisk Health Care AG
    Inventors: Michael Bech Jensen, Anders Klarskov Petersen, Andrew Neil Bowler
  • Enzyme compositions for the improved enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and methods of using same
    Patent number: 8318461
    Abstract: A process for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to produce a hydrolysis product comprising glucose from a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock and enzymes for use in the process are provided. The process comprises hydrolyzing an aqueous slurry of a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock with cellulase enzymes, one or more than one ?-glucosidase enzyme and a binding agent for binding the ?-glucosidase enzyme to fiber solids present in the aqueous slurry. During the hydrolysis, both the cellulase enzyme and ?-glucosidase enzyme bind to the fiber solids. The hydrolysis is performed in a solids-retaining hydrolysis reactor so that unhydrolyzed fiber solids and bound enzyme are retained in the reactor longer than the aqueous phase of the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Iogen Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tolan, Theresa White, John Tomashek
  • High yield dialysis-free process for producing organosoluble regenerated silk fibroin
    Patent number: 8309689
    Abstract: The invention relates to a simple and high yield process for producing a regenerated silk fibroin which does not need dialysis. Particularly, a process of the invention is characterized in that the silk fibroin is precipitated by applying a shear stress and/or changing the solvent power of the fibroin solution. The process of the invention simplifies the process of producing silk fibroin and greatly shortens the process time to 1 to 2 hours, whereas the conventional dialysis process is complex and needs around 2 to 3 days. In addition to reducing the time needed, the process of the invention can increase productivity of silk fibroin by at least 8%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Taipei Medical University
    Inventors: Jen-Chang Yang, Sheng-Yang Lee, Chien Chung Chen, Yun-Ting Hsu, Hong-Da Wu, Dian-Yu Ji
  • Soy protein gel and method of producing the same
    Patent number: 8304522
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a soy protein gel which has such gel properties that have never been obtained hitherto and is excellent in taste and color tone, and a soy protein food taking advantage of the gel properties. It has been found out that gel properties can be modified at an extremely elevated level and thus the desired soy protein gel can be obtained by preparing a gel by using a soy protein material in which the lipophilic protein content is reduced and conducting the gelation with the utilization of not only heat but also the action of a protein crosslinking enzyme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Oil Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kugitani, Masahiko Samoto, Motoaki Nishiura
  • Variant AXMI-R1 delta endotoxin genes and methods for their use
    Patent number: 8299217
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for conferring pesticidal activity to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for pesticidal polypeptides are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in plants and bacteria. Compositions also comprise transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, nucleic acid molecules encoding variant AXMI-R1 sequences are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Athenix Corp.
    Inventor: Volker Heinrichs
  • Use of glycoside hydrolase 61 family proteins in processing of cellulose
    Patent number: 8298795
    Abstract: The invention provides recombinant GH61 proteins obtained from Myceliophtora thermophila, and nucleic acids that encode such proteins. The invention also provides protein fractions isolated from M. thermophila supernatant that have GH61 protein activity. These preparations can be used to increase yield of products from reactions in which a cellulose-containing substrate undergoes saccharification by one or more cellulase enzymes, such as endoglucanase, ?-glucosidase, or cellobiohydrolase. Combinations of GH61 protein and cellulases can be used to break down cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars in the production of ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Jie Yang, Louis Clark, Onorato Campopiano, Kripa Rao, Lorand Szabo, Janos Torok, Dipnath Baidyaroy
  • Method for producing hyaluronic acid
    Patent number: 8288129
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing hyaluronic acid rich matrix comprises the steps of providing a crest; and decellularizing a tissue of crest to form a decellularized hyaluronic acid rich matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Body Organ Biomedical Corp.
    Inventors: Horng-Ji Lai, Chien-Cheng Lin, Shang-Ming Lin
  • Conjugates of hydroxyalkyl starch and a protein, prepared by reductive amination
    Patent number: 8287850
    Abstract: Conjugates of hydroxyalkyl starch and a protein are provided. The conjugates are formed by a reductive amination reaction between at least one aldehyde group or keto group or hemiacetal group of the hydroxyalkyl starch or of a derivative of the hydroxyalkyl starch, and at least one amino group of the protein, so that the hydroxyalkyl starch or the derivative thereof is covalently linked to the protein via an azomethine linkage or a amino linkage. Methods of producing these conjugates and specific uses of the conjugates also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Eichner, Michele Orlando, Norbert Zander, Harald S. Conradt, Frank Hacket, Klaus Langer, Ronald Frank
  • Enhanced production of fatty acid derivatives
    Patent number: 8283143
    Abstract: Genetically engineered cells and microorganisms are provided that produce fatty alcohols from the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, as well as methods of their use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: LS9, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhihao Hu, Fernando Valle