Patents by Inventor David A. Comstock

David A. Comstock 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).

  • Publication number: 20250109439
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for determining the fraction of fetal nucleic acids in a maternal sample comprising a mixture of fetal and maternal nucleic acids. The fraction of fetal nucleic acids can be used in determining the presence or absence of fetal aneuploidy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2024
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Applicant: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Yue-Jen Chuu, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Michael Hunkapiller
  • Patent number: 12139760
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for determining the fraction of fetal nucleic acids in a maternal sample comprising a mixture of fetal and maternal nucleic acids. The fraction of fetal nucleic acids can be used in determining the presence or absence of fetal aneuploidy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: VERINATA HEALTH, INC.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Yue-Jen Chuu, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Michael Hunkapiller
  • Publication number: 20240150828
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for determining aneuploidy and/or fetal fraction in maternal samples comprising fotal and matemal cfDNA by massively parallel sequencing. The method comprises a novel protocol for prepering sequencing libraries that unexpectedly improves the quality of library DNA while expediting the process of analysis of samples for prenatal diagnoses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Brian Kent Rhees
  • Patent number: 11952623
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for simultaneously determining the presence or absence of fetal aneuploidy and the relative amount of fetal nucleic acids in a sample obtained from a pregnant female. The method encompasses the use of sequencing technologies and exploits the occurrence of polymorphisms to provide a streamlined noninvasive process applicable to the practice of prenatal diagnostics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: VERINATA HEALTH, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Quake, Richard P. Rava, Manjula Chinnappa, David A Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek
  • Patent number: 11884975
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for determining aneuploidy and/or fetal fraction in maternal samples comprising fetal and maternal cfDNA by massively parallel sequencing. The method comprises a novel protocol for preparing sequencing libraries that unexpectedly improves the quality of library DNA while expediting the process of analysis of samples for prenatal diagnoses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: VERINATA HEALTH, INC.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Brian Kent Rhees
  • Publication number: 20230340590
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for verifying the integrity of biological source samples subjected to multistep bioassays that comprise massively parallel sequencing of the sample genomic nucleic acids. The integrity of the biological source samples is verified using unique marker nucleic acids that are combined with the biological source sample, and are sequenced concomitantly with the genomic nucleic acids of the biological source sample. The method provides verification of individual samples in single- and multiplex massively parallel sequencing assays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: VERINATA HEALTH, INC.
    Inventors: David A. Comstock, Anupama Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20230044849
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for determining copy number variation (CNV) known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining copy number variation of fetuses using maternal samples comprising maternal and fetal cell free DNA. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining CNVs known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide methods to improve the sensitivity and/or specificity of sequence data analysis by deriving a fragment size parameter. In some implementations, information from fragments of different sizes are used to evaluate copy number variations. In some implementations, one or more t-statistics obtained from coverage information of the sequence of interest is used to evaluate copy number variations. In some implementations, one or more fetal fraction estimates are combined with one or more t-statistics to determine copy number variations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Sven Duenwald, David A. Comstock, Catalin Barbacioru, Darya I. Chudova, Richard P. Rava, Keith W. Jones, Gengxin Chen, Dimitri Skvortsov
  • Patent number: 11430541
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for determining copy number variation (CNV) known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining copy number variation of fetuses using maternal samples comprising maternal and fetal cell free DNA. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining CNVs known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide methods to improve the sensitivity and/or specificity of sequence data analysis by deriving a fragment size parameter. In some implementations, information from fragments of different sizes are used to evaluate copy number variations. In some implementations, one or more t-statistics obtained from coverage information of the sequence of interest is used to evaluate copy number variations. In some implementations, one or more fetal fraction estimates are combined with one or more t-statistics to determine copy number variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Sven Duenwald, David A. Comstock, Catalin Barbacioru, Darya I. Chudova, Richard P. Rava, Keith W. Jones, Gengxin Chen, Dimitri Skvortsov
  • Publication number: 20220228197
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining copy number variations (CNV) of a sequence of interest in a test sample that comprises a mixture of nucleic acids that are known or are suspected to differ in the amount of one or more sequence of interest. The method comprises a statistical approach that accounts for accrued variability stemming from process-related, interchromosomal and inter-sequencing variability. The method is applicable to determining CNV of any fetal aneuploidy, and CNVs known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. CNV that can be determined according to the present method include trisomies and monosomies of any one or more of chromosomes 1-22, X and Y, other chromosomal polysomies, and deletions and/or duplications of segments of any one or more of the chromosomes, which can be detected by sequencing only once the nucleic acids of a test sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, David A. Comstock, Brian Kent Rhees
  • Patent number: 11332774
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining copy number variations (CNV) of a sequence of interest in a test sample that comprises a mixture of nucleic acids that are known or are suspected to differ in the amount of one or more sequence of interest. The method comprises a statistical approach that accounts for accrued variability stemming from process-related, interchromosomal and inter-sequencing variability. The method is applicable to determining CNV of any fetal aneuploidy, and CNVs known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. CNV that can be determined according to the present method include trisomies and monosomies of any one or more of chromosomes 1-22, X and Y, other chromosomal polysomies, and deletions and/or duplications of segments of any one or more of the chromosomes, which can be detected by sequencing only once the nucleic acids of a test sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P Rava, David A Comstock, Brian Kent Rhees
  • Publication number: 20220017958
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for simultaneously determining the presence or absence of fetal aneuploidy and the relative amount of fetal nucleic acids in a sample obtained from a pregnant female. The method encompasses the use of sequencing technologies and exploits the occurrence of polymorphisms to provide a streamlined noninvasive process applicable to the practice of prenatal diagnostics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Quake, Richard P. Rava, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek
  • Publication number: 20210371907
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for determining copy number variation (CNV) associated with a variety of medical conditions. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining copy number variation (CNV) of fetuses using maternal samples comprising maternal and fetal cell free DNA. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining CNVs associated with a variety of medical conditions. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide methods to improve the sensitivity and/or specificity of sequence data analysis by deriving a fragment size parameter, such as a size-weighted coverage or a fraction of fragments in a size range. In some embodiments, the fragment size parameter is adjusted to remove within-sample GC-content bias. In some embodiments, removal of within-sample GC-content bias is based on sequence data corrected for systematic variation common across unaffected training samples. Also disclosed are systems and computer program products for evaluation of CNV of sequences of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Darya I. Chudova, Catalin Barbacioru, Sven Duenwald, David A. Comstock, Richard P. Rava
  • Publication number: 20210340613
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for determining aneuploidy and/or fetal fraction in maternal samples comprising fetal and maternal cfDNA by massively parallel sequencing. The method comprises a novel protocol for preparing sequencing libraries that unexpectedly improves the quality of library DNA while expediting the process of analysis of samples for prenatal diagnoses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Brian Kent Rhees
  • Patent number: 11130995
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for simultaneously determining the presence or absence of fetal aneuploidy and the relative amount of fetal nucleic acids in a sample obtained from a pregnant female. The method encompasses the use of sequencing technologies and exploits the occurrence of polymorphisms to provide a streamlined noninvasive process applicable to the practice of prenatal diagnostics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Quake, Richard P Rava, Manjula Chinnappa, David A Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek
  • Patent number: 11072814
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for determining copy number variation (CNV) known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining copy number variation (CNV) of fetuses using maternal samples comprising maternal and fetal cell free DNA. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining CNVs known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide methods to improve the sensitivity and/or specificity of sequence data analysis by deriving a fragment size parameter, such as a size-weighted coverage or a fraction of fragments in a size range. In some embodiments, the fragment size parameter is adjusted to remove within-sample GC-content bias. In some embodiments, removal of within-sample GC-content bias is based on sequence data corrected for systematic variation common across unaffected training samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Darya I. Chudova, Catalin Barbacioru, Sven Duenwald, David A. Comstock, Richard P. Rava
  • Patent number: 10941442
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for determining aneuploidy and/or fetal fraction in maternal samples comprising fetal and maternal cfDNA by massively parallel sequencing. The method comprises a novel protocol for preparing sequencing libraries that unexpectedly improves the quality of library DNA while expediting the process of analysis of samples for prenatal diagnoses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Brian Kent Rhees
  • Publication number: 20210024996
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for verifying the integrity of biological source samples subjected to multistep bioassays that comprise massively parallel sequencing of the sample genomic nucleic acids. The integrity of the biological source samples is verified using unique marker nucleic acids that are combined with the biological source sample, and are sequenced concomitantly with the genomic nucleic acids of the biological source sample. The method provides verification of individual samples in single- and multiplex massively parallel sequencing assays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: David A. Comstock, Anupama Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20200385810
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for determining the fraction of fetal nucleic acids in a maternal sample comprising a mixture of fetal and maternal nucleic acids. The fraction of fetal nucleic acids can be used in determining the presence or absence of fetal aneuploidy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: Verinata Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Yue-Jen Chuu, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Michael Hunkapiller
  • Patent number: 10612096
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for determining the fraction of fetal nucleic acids in a maternal sample comprising a mixture of fetal and maternal nucleic acids. The fraction of fetal nucleic acids can be used in determining the presence or absence of fetal aneuploidy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: VERINATA HEALTH, INC.
    Inventors: Richard P. Rava, Yue-Jen Chuu, Manjula Chinnappa, David A. Comstock, Gabrielle Heilek, Michael Hunkapiller
  • Publication number: 20190065676
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for determining copy number variation (CNV) known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining copy number variation of fetuses using maternal samples comprising maternal and fetal cell free DNA. In some embodiments, methods are provided for determining CNVs known or suspected to be associated with a variety of medical conditions. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide methods to improve the sensitivity and/or specificity of sequence data analysis by deriving a fragment size parameter. In some implementations, information from fragments of different sizes are used to evaluate copy number variations. In some implementations, one or more t-statistics obtained from coverage information of the sequence of interest is used to evaluate copy number variations. In some implementations, one or more fetal fraction estimates are combined with one or more t-statistics to determine copy number variations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Sven Duenwald, David A. Comstock, Catalin Barbacioru, Darya I. Chudova, Richard P. Rava, Keith W. Jones, Gengxin Chen, Dimitri Skvortsov