Patents Examined by Prema Mertz
  • Peptide tyrosine tyrosine analogues
    Patent number: 9018160
    Abstract: Peptide analogues of PYY, compositions comprising said analogues and methods of using said analogues for the treatment and prevention of metabolic disorders, for example disorders of energy metabolism such as diabetes and obesity, and for a reduction in appetite, reduction in food intake or reduction of calorie intake in a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Imperial Innovations Limited
    Inventor: Stephen Robert Bloom
  • Compounds useful for multi-level specific targeting of cancer cells
    Patent number: 9005600
    Abstract: A compound comprising, in combination: a cell surface binding ligand or internalizing factor, such as an IL-13R?2 binding ligand; at least one effector molecule (e.g., one, two, three or more effector molecules); optionally but preferably, a cytosol localization element covalently coupled between said binding ligand and said at least one effector molecule; and a subcellular compartment localization signal element covalently coupled between said binding ligand and said at least one effector molecule (and preferably with said cytosol localization element between said binding ligand and said subcellular compartment localization signal element). Methods of using such compounds and formulations containing the same are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
    Inventors: Waldemar Debinski, Hetal Pandya, Denise Gibo
  • Antikine antibodies that bind to multiple CC chemokines
    Patent number: 9005617
    Abstract: An antikine antibody binds to two, three, four, five or more CC chemokines, such as RANTES/CCL5, MIP-1?/CCL3, MIP-1?/CCL4, or MCP-1/CCL2. Methods for affinity maturation and humanization of antikine antibodies as well as the production of hybridoma cell lines producing antikine antibodies by sequential immunization are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Allison, Carol Raport
  • Screening for compounds having immunosuppressant activity by testing impact on leukocyte-specific calcium fluxes
    Patent number: 8993244
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assay for the identification of a compound having immunosuppressant activity, wherein a candidate compound is analyzed whether it blocks the Ca2+ flux in coronin 1 expressing cells and/or in coronin 1 negative cells. A candidate compound is identified as having immunosuppressant activity if it blocks the Ca2+ flux specifically in coronin 1 expressing cells. Further described are upstream assays wherein the impact of a candidate compound on coronin 1 trimerization is measured, and downstream assays wherein the impact of a candidate compound on diacyl glycerol (DAG) generation, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) levels and/or inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (InsP3) generation or on nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) nuclear localization is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: University of Basel
    Inventors: Jean Pieters, Rajesh Jayac Han Dran, Philipp Mueller
  • Anti-IL-6 antibodies or fragments thereof to treat or inhibit cachexia, associated with chemotherapy toxicity
    Patent number: 8992904
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to therapeutic methods and compositions, especially subcutaneous and intravenous composition using antibodies and fragments thereof having binding specificity for IL-6 to prevent or treat cachexia, fever, weakness and/or fatigue in a patient in need thereof. In preferred embodiments, the anti-IL-6 antibodies will be humanized and/or will be aglycosylated. Also, in preferred embodiments these patients will comprise those exhibiting (or at risk of developing) an elevated serum C-reactive protein level. In another preferred embodiment, the patient's survivability or quality of life will preferably be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Alderbio Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. L. Smith, John A. Latham, Mark Litton, Randall Schatzman
  • Neoadjuvant treatment of cancer with proleukin
    Patent number: 8961950
    Abstract: Low doses of IL-2 are administered locally and neo-adjuvantly to patients with early stages of the disease. This will result in local high concentrations of IL-2 within the relevant tumor draining lymph nodes. Patients with only early stages of disease will be more responsive to immunotherapy with the expectation of improved survival of patients compared to current therapy standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Inventors: Ulrik Mouritzen, Christiane Voit
  • Methods of treating psoriasis by administration of antibodies to the p40 subunit of IL-12 and/or IL-23
    Patent number: 8945545
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of treating psoriasis in a subject by administering to a subject an antibody capable of binding to the p40 subunit of IL-12 and/or IL-23.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: AbbVie Inc.
    Inventors: Joaquin Mario Valdes, Susan K. Paulson
  • HJURP peptides and vaccines including the same
    Patent number: 8933014
    Abstract: Isolated peptides derived from SEQ ID NO: 50 and fragments thereof that bind to an HLA antigen and induce cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and thus are suitable for use in the context of cancer immunotherapy, more particularly cancer vaccines are described herein. The inventive peptides encompasses both the above mentioned amino acid sequences and modified versions thereof, in which one, two, or several amino acids sequences substituted, deleted, added or inserted, provided such modified versions retain the requisite cytotoxic T cell inducibility of the original sequence. Further provided are nucleic acids encoding any of the aforementioned peptides as well as pharmaceutical agents, substances and/or compositions that include or incorporate any of the aforementioned peptides or nucleic acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: OncoTherapy Science, Inc.
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakamura, Takuya Tsunoda, Ryuji Ohsawa, Sachiko Yoshimura, Tomohisa Watanabe
  • Antibody recognizing human leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)
    Patent number: 8926956
    Abstract: The invention relates to antibodies directed against human Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) and to a hybridoma cell line producing said antibodies. The invention also relates to a method for blocking/inhibiting the proliferation of stem cells, and to an in vitro method for the diagnosis of diseases associated with unwanted cell proliferation in a subject or for determining the predisposition of a subject to suffer from said disease associated with unwanted cell proliferation, or for prognosis of average life expectancy of a subject suffering from said disease. The therapeutic potential of said antibodies is based on observing that the inhibition of LIF can be used in therapeutic compositions for the treatment of diseases associated with unwanted proliferation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignees: Fundacio Privada Institut d'Investigacio Oncologica Vall d'Hebron (VHIO), Fundacio Privada Institucio Catalana de Recerca I Estudis Avancats (ICREA)
    Inventors: Joan Seoane Suarez, Judit Anido Folgueira, Andrea Saez Borderias
  • Method for purifying urate oxidase tetramers and octamers
    Patent number: 8921064
    Abstract: A naturally occurring or recombinant protein, especially a mutein of porcine urate oxidase (uricase), that is essentially free of large aggregates can be rendered substantially non-immunogenic by conjugation with a sufficiently small number of strands of polymer such that the bioactivity of the protein is essentially retained in the conjugate. Such conjugates are unusually well suited for treatment of chronic conditions because they are less likely to induce the formation of antibodies and/or accelerated clearance than are similar conjugates prepared from protein preparations containing traces of large aggregates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Mountain View Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Duke University
    Inventors: Merry R. Sherman, Mark G. P. Saifer, L. David Williams, Michael S. Hershfield, Susan J. Kelly
  • Method for identifying idiopathic pneumonia progression by measuring the level of mannose-binding protein C
    Patent number: 8911960
    Abstract: A method for characterizing the risk a subject will develop an autoimmune and/or alloimmune disease following tissue transplant includes obtaining a biological sample from the subject, wherein the subject has received the tissue transplant determining in the biological sample a level of at least one protein selected from Tables 1-4, comparing the measured level of the at least one protein to a control value, and characterizing a subject as at greater risk of developing an autoimmune disease and/or alloimmune disease if the level of at least one protein determined is increased or decreased compared to the control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
    Inventors: Mark Chance, Kenneth Cooke, Daniela Schlatzer
  • Mutant interleukin-2 (IL-2) polypeptides
    Patent number: 8906356
    Abstract: The present invention relates to mutant IL-2 polypeptides that act as receptor antagonists. The mutant IL-2 polypeptides bind CD 25 but do not activate the IL-2 receptor. Also provided are methods of using the mutant IL-2 polypeptides, for example, to treat a patient who has cancer or a viral infection. The mutant polypeptides can also be used in various delivery systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: K. Dane Wittrup, David V. Liu
  • sgp130/Fc dimers
    Patent number: 8895012
    Abstract: Described are polypeptide dimers comprising two soluble gp130 molecules wherein each of said molecules is fused to an Fc domain of an IgG1 protein and wherein the hinge region of the Fc domain is modified resulting in advantageous properties of the dimer. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hinge region comprises the amino acid sequence motif Ala234-Glu235-Gly236-Ala237. Moreover, a pharmaceutical composition containing said dimer and various medical uses are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Conaris Research Institute AG
    Inventors: Georg H. Wätzig, Dirk Seegert
  • Method for treating psoriatic arthritis by administering an anti-IL-12 antibody
    Patent number: 8894990
    Abstract: An anti-IL-12 antibody that binds to a portion of the IL-12 protein corresponding to at least one amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of residues 15, 17-21, 23, 40-43, 45-47, 54-56 and 58-62 of the amino acid sequence of the p40 subunit of IL-12, including isolated nucleic acids that encode at least one anti-IL-12 antibody, vectors, host cells, transgenic animals or plants, and methods of making and using thereof have applications in treating IL-12-related disorders, such as psoriatic arthritis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Janssen Biotech, Inc.
    Inventors: Jill Giles-Komar, George Heavner, David Knight, Jinquan Luo, David Peritt, Bernard Scallon, David Shealy
  • Fusion protein binding specifically to constant region of antibody, method of preparing the fusion protein, and method of isolating antibody using the fusion protein
    Patent number: 8889376
    Abstract: A fusion protein that includes a polypeptide binding specifically to a constant region of an antibody and a stabilization protein linked to a terminus of the polypeptide, a polynucleotide encoding the fusion protein, a cell including the polynucleotide, a method of preparing the fusion protein, and a method of isolating an antibody by using the fusion protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Il Lee, Young-Sun Lee, Tae-Soo Lee
  • Human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist—hybrid Fc fusion protein
    Patent number: 8883134
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fusion protein comprising IL-1 receptor antagonist fused to a hybrid Fc. Particularly the present disclosure relates to a fusion protein comprising IL-1 receptor antagonist fused to a human immunoglobulin hybrid Fc fragment. In one embodiment, the hybrid Fc fragment comprises IgD and IgG4. Also provided is a pharmaceutical composition comprising the present fusion protein, which are useful for treating autoimmune disease including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), psoriasis and diabetes and the like. The present fusion protein with excellent efficacy and reduced side effects is qualified for clinical development as therapeutic antibodies to treat autoimmune disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Handok Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Genexine, Inc.
    Inventors: Young Gyu Cho, Hye Jeong Shin, Woon Young Lee, Woo Ick Jang
  • Intranasal administration of active agents to the central nervous system
    Patent number: 8883728
    Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for delivering a polypeptide to the central nervous system of a mammal via intranasal administration are provided. The polypeptide can be a catalytically active protein or an antibody, antibody fragment or antibody fragment fusion protein. The polypeptides are formulated with one or more specific agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Aegis Therapeutics, LLC
    Inventor: Edward T. Maggio
  • Chimeric IL-1 receptor type I antagonists
    Patent number: 8853150
    Abstract: Featured herein are non-naturally occurring cytokine domains that can be used, inter alia, to modulate cellular signalling responsive to interleukin-1 receptor I (IL-1 RI), to treat disorders, and to detect and/or bind to cellular receptors, as well as other agents. Exemplary cytokine domains can contain amino acid residues from at least two parental cytokines domains, for example, receptor binding features, surface features, ? strands, and loops from at least two parental cytokines domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Eleven Biotherapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Barnes, Jinzhao Hou, Bracken M. King
  • Method for identifying an antagonist of guanine nucleotide releasing factor 1
    Patent number: 8852878
    Abstract: The invention concerns the use of whole or part of the GRF1 protein, or of cells expressing whole or part of the GRF1 protein, in methods for detecting compounds for preventing and/or treating pathologies or disorders of the central nervous system involving neuronal death, such as apoptosis, or related to leptin metabolism. The pathologies of the central nervous system are in particular cerebral ischemia, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Aventis Pharma S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Itier, Marie-Christine Multon, Gwénaëlle Ret, Jean-Marie Stutzmann, Florence Wahl
  • Isolation of phosphoproteins, glycoproteins and fragments thereof
    Patent number: 8835612
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for the selective isolation of phosphorylated and glycosylated proteins and their fragments. Metal cation is used to precipitate proteins or protein fragments containing phospho groups and/or glyco groups. The sample preparation method can be used for several types of biological samples, including HeLa cells, food, and human cerebrospinal fluid. The proteins are isolated, recovered and ready for analysis by mass spectrometry or other analytical methods allowing detection limits down to the femtomole level. The method and apparatus are valuable tools in the field of protein analysis and diagnostics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Inventors: Fabio Polato, Mathias Rainer, Douglas T. Gjerde, Guenther Bonn