Patents Examined by Sheridan Swope
  • Patent number: 8420789
    Abstract: A method is provided for purifying physiologically active proteins, especially antibodies, in order to remove impurities such as DNA contaminants and viruses with minimal loss of physiologically active proteins. The physiologically active protein is introduced into an aqueous solution of low conductivity at a pH of below the isoelectric point of the physiologically active protein to precipitate impurities as particles. The particles are removed, leaving a purified physiologically active protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Chugai Seiyaku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kozo Takeda, Norimichi Ochi, Kimie Ishii, Manabu Matsuhashi, Akinori Imamura
  • Patent number: 8394940
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a procedure for realizing inexpensive and simple production of 3-indole-pyruvic acid. A transformant is made using a polynucleotide having a specific nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an oxidase activity, and oxidase is generated by culturing the transformant in a medium to accumulate the oxidase in the medium and/or the transformant. Further, tryptophan is converted into 3-indole-pyruvic acid in the presence of the transformant and/or a culture thereof to produce 3-indole-pyruvic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Takakura, Seiichi Hara, Toshiki Taba, Shunichi Suzuki, Masakazu Sugiyama, Kunihiko Watanabe, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 8389265
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing or deleting the function of a protein encoded by the glyT gene in an acetic acid-producing bacterium. This method significantly suppresses foam formation during the culture and enhances the acetic acid fermentation ability of the bacterium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Mizkan Group Corporation
    Inventor: Aya Iida
  • Patent number: 8388937
    Abstract: A specific targeting peptide binding to glypican-3 can specifically binds to glypican-3 overexpressed in carcinoma cells and includes an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 or some thereof. Glypican-3 is overexpressed in malignant tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, germ cell tumor, etc., and may be targeted in diagnosis and treatment of tumors by labeling the targeting peptide. A diagnosis using the specific peptide may detect even small tumors more accurately than conventional methods. A treatment method using the specific peptide may remove only carcinoma cells without harming other normal tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Kyungpook National University Industry—Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Byeong Cheol Ahn, Jae Tae Lee, Je Yeol Cho, Jung Soo Yu, Yong Jin Lee, Sang Woo Lee, You La Lee
  • Patent number: 8383798
    Abstract: This invention provides: DNA encoding cellulase enzymes from intestinal symbiotic protists of the insects of Reticulitermes speratus, Hodotermopsis sjostedti, Neotermes koshunensis, Mastotermes darwiniensis, and Cryptocercidae, comprising the nucleotide sequences as shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 to 140; an expression system for the DNA; and a method for producing the cellulase enzymes using the expression system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignees: Riken, The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Shigeharu Moriya, Toshiaki Kudo, Tetsushi Inoue, Nemuri Todaka, Katsuhiko Kitamoto, Manabu Arioka, Junichi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 8383392
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transformant prepared by introducing a ketoreductase gene involved in the biosynthesis of L-epivancosamine into an actinobacterium originally capable of producing daunorubicin. Also disclosed is a process of efficiently producing a non-natural daunorubicin derivative using the transformant. The transformant is capable of efficiently producing a non-natural daunorubicin derivative such as epidaunorubicin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Sumida, Manabu Watanabe, Koji Yanai
  • Patent number: 8383391
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to mutant cells with deleted or disrupted genes encoding protease(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Hiroaki Udagawa, Christian Isak Jørgensen
  • Patent number: 8367371
    Abstract: A bacterium which belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family and has an ability to produce an L-amino acid such as L-lysine, L-threonine and L-tryptophan and is modified to enhance glutamic acid decarboxylase activity is cultured in a medium to produce and accumulate the L-amino acid in the medium or cells of the bacterium. Then, the L-amino acid is collected from the medium or the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tajima, Shintaro Iwatani, Yoshihiro Usuda, Kazuhiko Matsui
  • Patent number: 8367360
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of screening for candidate compounds useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related conditions by inhibiting specific phosphorylation of tau protein by tyrosine kinase c-Abl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: Proteome Sciences plc, King's College London
    Inventors: Malcolm Ward, Helen Byers, Brian Henry Anderton, Pascal Derkinderen, Christopher Hugh Reynolds, Ritchie Williamson
  • Patent number: 8362222
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a fungal serine protease enzyme useful in modification, degradation or removal of proteinaceous material, which enzyme comprises an amino acid sequence of the mature Tr Prb1 enzyme having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 or a variant thereof having similar activity. The serine protease is obtainable from Trichoderma. Also disclosed are nucleic acid sequences encoding said protease, such as plasmid pALK2650 comprising the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 10 of the full length enzyme deposited in E. coli RF8052 under accession number DSM 22635. Said protease is useful as an enzyme preparation applicable in detergent compositions and for treating fibers, for treating wool, for treating hair, for treating leather, for treating food or feed, or for any applications involving modification, degradation or removal of proteinaceous material at low or moderate temperature ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: AB Enzymes Oy
    Inventors: Leena Valtakari, Kari Juntunen, Susanna Mäkinen, Pentti Ojapalo, Marja Paloheimo
  • Patent number: 8349619
    Abstract: The invention relates to various methods of detecting and analyzing protein interactions in a cell, which methods involve the appearance of a specific protein interaction being converted to a permanent detection signal by means of providing, in a manner dependent on said protein interaction, a recombinase activity or protease activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sygnis Bioscience GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Moritz Rossner, Rico Laage, Klaus-Armin Nave, Sylvia Gruenewald
  • Patent number: 8343734
    Abstract: The invention relates to processes for fermentative production of L-proline using bacteria which contain mutated variants of the proB gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Evonik Degussa GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Hans, Brigitte Bathe, Georg Thierbach
  • Patent number: 8338136
    Abstract: The invention relates to a low molecular weight peptide (or suite of related peptides) isolated from the submaxiliary saliva glands of shrews of the species Blarina as a paralytic agent. This novel paralytic agent is useful as a neuromuscular blocker and analgesic or as an insecticide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Soricimed Biopharma Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Stewart, Bradley J. Steeves, Karl Vernes
  • Patent number: 8338567
    Abstract: A method of treating a disease associated with NF-?B activity. The method is effected by providing to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of modulating NIK-HC8 binding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Yeda Research and Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: David Wallach, Parameswaran Makrishnan, Taisa Shmushkovich
  • Patent number: 8330026
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of NF-?B inducing kinase (NIK) and related molecules for the modulation of signal activities controlled by cytokines, and some new such molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Yeda Research and Development Co., Ltd., Weizmann Institute of Science
    Inventors: David Wallach, Parameswaran Ramakrishnan, Taisia Shmushkovich
  • Patent number: 8323919
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for glycogen synthase kinase 3 assays continue to be required for detection of glycogen synthase 3 kinase, assessment of glycogen synthase 3 kinase activity and identification of modulators of glycogen synthase 3 kinase. Methods and compositions for glycogen synthase kinase 3 assays are provided herein based on the discovery of a previously unknown interaction between glycogen synthase 3 kinase and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 which serves as a substrate for glycogen synthase kinase 3-alpha and glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: PerkinElmer BioSignal, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto J. Rodriguez-Suarez, Lucille Beaudet, Mireille Caron
  • Patent number: 8309339
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide alkaline proteases having industrially sufficient protein productivity and a significant detergency. In the alkaline proteases, the amino acid residues at (a) position 9, (b) position 49, (c) position 194, (d) position 212, (e) position 237, (f) position 245, (g) position 281, (h) position 313, (i) position 379 and (j) position 427 in SEQ ID NO: 2 are selected from the following amino acid residues; Position (a); glutamine, Position (b); glutamine, Position (c); lysine or arginine, Position (d); arginine, asparagine or glutamine, Position (e); asparagines, Position (f); asparagines. Position (g); arginine, Position (h); asparagines, Position (i); lysine, arginine, glutamic acid or aspartic acid, and Position (j); arginine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuyoshi Okuda
  • Patent number: 8293514
    Abstract: An isolated mutant of a coryneform bacterium comprising a gene coding for a polypeptide having GTP-pyrophosphate kinase activity, wherein said polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence in which one of the proteinogenic amino acids other than L-proline is present in position 38 or a corresponding or comparable position. In addition, an isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having GTP-pyrophosphate kinase enzyme activity, a vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide, a recombinant microorganism comprising the vector, and a process for preparing the recombinant coryneform bacterium is described. A method for over-expressing a GTP-pyrophosphate kinase, a method of preparing an L-amino acid, an L-lysine comprising and L-tryptophan comprising feed is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Evonik Degussa GmbH
    Inventors: Brigitte Bathe, Caroline Kreutzer, Georg Thierbach
  • Patent number: 8263378
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide human kinases and phosphatases (KPP) polypeptides and polynucleotides which identify and encode KPP. Embodiments of the invention also provide expression vectors, host cells, antibodies, agonists, and antagonists. Other embodiments provide methods for diagnosing, treating, or preventing disorders associated with aberrant expression of KPP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Incyte Corporation
    Inventors: Vicki S. Elliott, Reena Khare, Thomas W. Richardson, Joseph P. Marquis, Anita Swarnakar, April J. A. Hafalia, Shanya D. Becha, Narinder K. Chawla-Walia, Mariah R. Baughn, Soo Yeun Lee, Uyen K. Tran, Henry Yue, Danniel B. Nguyen, Michael B. Thornton, Rajagopal Gururajan, Ameena R. Gandhi, Yan Lu, Monique G. Yao, Joana X. Li, Wen Luo, Ernestine A. Lee, Ian J. Forsythe, Craig H. Ison, Amy D. Wilson, Pei Jin
  • Patent number: 8258271
    Abstract: The invention describes isolated mTOR-associated proteins (“mTOR-APs”) as well as isolated variants and fragments thereof and the isolated nucleic acids encoding them. The invention also describes vectors and host cells containing nucleic acid encoding an mTOR-AP polypeptide and methods for producing an mTOR-AP polypeptide. Also described are methods for screening for compounds which modulate mTOR-AP activity and methods for treating or preventing a disorder that is responsive to mTOR-AP modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
    Inventors: David M. Sabatini, Do-Hyung Kim, Dos D. Sarbassov