Patents by Inventor Michiko Hirao

Michiko Hirao 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: 20220315926
    Abstract: There is provided an aptamer for dengue virus, optionally an aptamer for dengue virus NS1 protein. The aptamer comprising at least one unnatural base, wherein the unnatural base may be 7-(2thienyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Ds), pyrrole2-carbaldehyde (Pa) or 2-nitro-4-propynylpyrrole (Px). The aptamers of the invention may be used to identify a dengue infection in a subject. Also provided are mixtures and kits comprising the aptamer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Ken-ichiro Matsunaga, Michiko Hirao, William Sun, Yee Sin Leo
  • Publication number: 20220106585
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of sequencing a nucleic acid containing an unnatural base pair (UBP), comprising performing two or more replacement replication reactions wherein the nucleic acid is replicated using two or more intermediate of the unnatural base pair; sequencing the nucleic acid resulting from the replacement replication reactions; clustering the sequenced nucleic acid and identifying a candidate position of the unnatural base pair; determining a ratio of conversion of the intermediate to each one of a natural base pair at the candidate position of the unnatural base pair; comparing the ratio of conversion of the intermediate to a library of pre-determined conversion rate based on the sequences of one or more natural base pair adjacent to the candidate position of the unnatural base pair; wherein a substantial match of the ratio of conversion of the intermediate to a value in the library of the pre-determined conversion rate confirms the position of the unnatural base pair, thereby determining the seque
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Kiyofumi Hamashima
  • Patent number: 11104904
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient and low-cost method for enhancing the stability of a DNA aptamer and/or its capacity to bind to a target molecule, and a DNA aptamer obtained by the method. The object is solved by substituting an internal hairpin structure (stem-loop structure) of the DNA aptamer with a structure called mini-hairpin structure and optionally increasing GC pairs in a stem portion of the DNA aptamer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Tagcyx Biotechnologies
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Kenichiro Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 10837964
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an aptamer to a cancer cell, said aptamer being superior to conventional aptamers in binding ability, specificity, and/or stability. To solve this problem, provided is a DNA aptamer binding to a cancer cell, said DNA aptamer containing an artificial base(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Kazunobu Futami, Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao
  • Patent number: 10760083
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an aptamer for vWF, which is superior in a binding ability, a dissociation rate, and/or stability to the conventional nucleic acid aptamers. The present invention can solve the problem by a DNA aptamer which contains artificial nucleotides and binds to vWF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TAGCyx Biotechnologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Kenichiro Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 10695362
    Abstract: This invention is intended to enhance and improve the resistance of a single- or double-stranded nucleic acid fragment comprising a base sequence of a functional nucleic acid to degradation by nucleolytic enzymes in a simple and cost-effective manner. The single- or double-stranded nucleic acid fragment comprises, ligated to at least one end thereof, hairpin-shaped DNA comprising: (A) a nucleic acid region comprising 2 to 5 arbitrary nucleotides; (B) a nucleic acid region comprising a “gna” or “gnna” base sequence, wherein each “n” represents “g”, “t”, “a”, or “c”, a base analogue, or a modified base; and (C) a nucleic acid region comprising a base sequence complementary to the nucleic acid region (A), sequentially from the 5? end toward the 3? end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Shuang Liu, Iwao Nozawa
  • Patent number: 10550393
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient and low-cost method for enhancing the stability of a DNA aptamer and/or its capacity to bind to a target molecule, and a DNA aptamer obtained by the method. The object is solved by substituting an internal hairpin structure (stem-loop structure) of the DNA aptamer with a structure called mini-hairpin structure and optionally increasing GC pairs in a stem portion of the DNA aptamer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Tagcyx Biotechnologies
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Kenichiro Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20190345499
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient and low-cost method for enhancing the stability of a DNA aptamer and/or its capacity to bind to a target molecule, and a DNA aptamer obtained by the method. The object is solved by substituting an internal hairpin structure (stem-loop structure) of the DNA aptamer with a structure called mini-hairpin structure and optionally increasing GC pairs in a stem portion of the DNA aptamer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Kenichiro Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20180346912
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient and low-cost method for enhancing the stability of a DNA aptamer and/or its capacity to bind to a target molecule, and DNA aptamer obtained by the method. The object is solved by substituting an internal hairpin structure (stem-loop structure) of the DNA aptamer with a structure called mini-hairpin structure and optionally increasing GC pairs in a stem portion of the DNA aptamer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro HIRAO, Michiko HIRAO, Kenichiro MATSUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20180348220
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an aptamer to a cancer cell, said aptamer being superior to conventional aptamers in binding ability, specificity, and/or stability. To solve this problem, provided is a DNA aptamer binding to a cancer cell, said DNA aptamer containing an artificial base(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Kazunobu FUTAMI, Ichiro HIRAO, Michiko HIRAO
  • Publication number: 20180305695
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an aptamer for vWF, which is superior in a binding ability, a dissociation rate, and/or stability to the conventional nucleic acid aptamers. The present invention can solve the problem by a DNA aptamer which contains artificial nucleotides and binds to vWF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko HIRAO, Kenichiro MATSUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20180243329
    Abstract: This invention is intended to enhance and improve the resistance of a single- or double-stranded nucleic acid fragment comprising a base sequence of a functional nucleic acid to degradation by nucleolytic enzymes in a simple and cost-effective manner. The single- or double-stranded nucleic acid fragment comprises, ligated to at least one end thereof, hairpin-shaped DNA comprising: (A) a nucleic acid region comprising 2 to 5 arbitrary nucleotides; (B) a nucleic acid region comprising a “gna” or “gnna” base sequence, wherein each “n” represents “g”, “t”, “a”, or “c”, a base analogue, or a modified base; and (C) a nucleic acid region comprising a base sequence complementary to the nucleic acid region (A), sequentially from the 5? end toward the 3? end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro HIRAO, Michiko HIRAO, Shuang LIU, Iwao NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 9873879
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for efficiently producing a nucleic acid aptamer, particularly, a DNA aptamer, having higher specificity and binding activity against a target substance than those of nucleic acid aptamers obtained by conventional methods. The present invention provides a transcribable or replicable nucleic acid aptamer comprising a natural nucleotide and a non-natural nucleotide having an artificial base-pairable artificial base. The present invention also provides a method for sequencing a non-natural nucleotide-containing single-stranded nucleic acid molecule selected from a single-stranded nucleic acid library.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Tagcyx Biotechnologies
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Rie Yamashige, Shigeyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9857362
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for efficiently and conveniently producing a nucleic acid aptamer, particularly, a DNA aptamer, having high specificity for and high binding activity against a target substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Shigeyuki Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20170073683
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for efficiently producing a nucleic acid aptamer, particularly, a DNA aptamer, having higher specificity and binding activity against a target substance than those of nucleic acid aptamers obtained by conventional methods. The present invention provides a transcribable or replicable nucleic acid aptamer comprising a natural nucleotide and a non-natural nucleotide having an artificial base-pairable artificial base. The present invention also provides a method for sequencing a non-natural nucleotide-containing single-stranded nucleic acid molecule selected from a single-stranded nucleic acid library.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Rie Yamashige, Shigeyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9540650
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for efficiently producing a nucleic acid aptamer, particularly, a DNA aptamer, having higher specificity and binding activity against a target substance than those of nucleic acid aptamers obtained by conventional methods. The present invention provides a transcribable or replicable nucleic acid aptamer comprising a natural nucleotide and a non-natural nucleotide having an artificial base-pairable artificial base. The present invention also provides a method for sequencing a non-natural nucleotide-containing single-stranded nucleic acid molecule selected from a single-stranded nucleic acid library.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Rie Yamashige, Shigeyuki Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20160299131
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for efficiently and conveniently producing a nucleic acid aptamer, particularly, a DNA aptamer, having high specificity for and high binding activity against a target substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Shigeyuki Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20160289680
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for efficiently and conveniently producing a nucleic acid aptamer, particularly, a DNA aptamer, having high specificity for and high binding activity against a target substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: TAGCYX BIOTECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Shigeyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9285319
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide quenching or fluorescent nucleic acid base analogs and applications thereof. The quencher of the present invention has a 2-nitropyrrole structure represented by Formula I: [Formula 1] (in Formula I, R1 and R2 are groups independently selected from the group consisting of: ribose and deoxyribose; hydrogen, hydroxyl and SH groups, and halogens; substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl groups each having 2 to 10 carbon atoms; one or more five-membered heterocyclic rings, one or more six-membered heterocyclic rings, and one or more fused heterocyclic rings, these heterocylic rings containing nitrogen or sulfur, and one or more aromatic rings; sugars, sugar chains, amino acids, and peptides; and fluorescent molecules linked via linkers).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignees: RIKEN, TagCyx Biotechnologies
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Shigeyuki Yokoyama, Tsuneo Mitsui, Rie Yamashige
  • Publication number: 20150119254
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for efficiently producing a nucleic acid aptamer, particularly, a DNA aptamer, having higher specificity and binding activity against a target substance than those of nucleic acid aptamers obtained by conventional methods. The present invention provides a transcribable or replicable nucleic acid aptamer comprising a natural nucleotide and a non-natural nucleotide having an artificial base-pairable artificial base. The present invention also provides a method for sequencing a non-natural nucleotide-containing single-stranded nucleic acid molecule selected from a single-stranded nucleic acid library.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Ichiro Hirao, Michiko Hirao, Rie Yamashige, Shigeyuki Yokoyama