Patents by Inventor Andreas Villunger

Andreas Villunger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7572900
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to novel molecules capable of, inter alia, modulating apoptosis in mammalian cells and to genetic sequences encoding same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, referred to herein as “Bmf”, and to genetic sequences encoding same and to regulatory sequences such as a promoter sequence directing expression of Bmf. Bmf comprises a BH3 domain which facilitates interaction to pro-survival Bcl-2 family members thereby triggering apoptosis. Bmf is regarded, therefore, as a BH3-only molecule. The molecules of the present invention are useful, for example, in therapy, diagnosis, antibody generation and as a screening tool for therapeutic agents capable of modulating physiological cell death or survival and/or modulating cell cycle entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: The Walter And Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
    Inventors: Andreas Strasser, Hamsa Puthalakath, Andreas Villunger, Leigh Coultas, Jennifer Beaumont, Lorraine Ann O'Reilly, David Ching Siang Huang
  • Publication number: 20050064593
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to novel molecules capable of, inter alia, modulating apoptosis in mammalian cells and to genetic sequences encoding same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, referred to herein as “Bmf”, and to genetic sequences encoding same and to regulatory sequences such as a promoter sequence directing expression of Bmf. Bmf comprises a BH3 domain which facilitates interaction to pro-survival Bcl-2 family members thereby triggering apoptosis. Bmf is regarded, therefore, as a BH3-only molecule. The molecules of the present invention are useful, for example, in therapy, diagnosis, antibody generation and as a screening tool for therapeutic agents capable of modulating physiological cell death or survival and/or modulating cell cycle entry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Andreas Strasser, Hamsa Puthalakath, Andreas Villunger, Leigh Coultas, Jennifer Beaumont, Lorraine O'reilly, David Huang