Patents by Inventor Myron E. Essex

Myron E. Essex 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: 6541609
    Abstract: A substantially pure polypeptide having at least one antigenic determinant that is substantially identical to an antigenic determinant of a protein from a cell line infected with simian T-lymphotrophic virus-III or human T-lymphotrophic virus-IV (HTLV-IV), also known as HIV-2, the protein being selected from: a) a glycoprotein having a molecular weight (m.w.) of about, 160,000 daltons; a glycoprotein having a m.w. of about 120,000 daltons; a gag protein having a m.w. of about 55,000 daltons; a gag protein having a m.w. of about 24,000 daltons; and a glycoprotein having a m.w. of about 32,000 daltons. Also disclosed are various methods of immunoassay using that peptide or antibodies raised to it. Finally, immunoassays for simian specimens are disclosed using peptides that are immunologically cross-reactive with the above-described peptide, or antibodies thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E Essex, Phyllis J Kanki
  • Patent number: 6531574
    Abstract: A substantially pure polypeptide having at least one antigenic determinant that is substantially identical to an antigenic determinant of a protein from a cell line infected with a specified virus that has been deposited with the ATCC, the protein being selected from: a) a glycoprotein having a molecular weight (m.w.) of about 160,000 daltons; a glycoprotein having a m.w. of about 120,000 daltons; a gag protein having a m.w. of about 55,000 daltons; a gag protein having a m.w. of about 24,000 daltons; and a glycoprotein having a m.w. of about 32,000 daltons. Also disclosed are various methods of immunoassay using that peptide or antibodies raised to it. Finally, immunoassays for simian specimens are disclosed using peptides that are immunologically cross-reactive with the above-described peptide, or antibodies thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Phyllis J. Kanki
  • Publication number: 20010014470
    Abstract: A substantially pure polypeptide having at least one antigenic determinant that is substantially identical to an antigenic determinant of a protein from a cell line infected with simian T-lymphotrophic virus-III or human T-lymphotrophic virus-IV (HTLV-IV), the protein being selected from: a) a glycoprotein having a molecular weight (m.w.) of aobut 160,000 daltons; a glycoprotein having a m.w. of about 120,000 daltons; a gag protein having a m.w. of about 55,000 daltons; a gag protein having a m.w. of about 24,000 daltons; and a glycoprotein having a m.w. of about 32,000 daltons. Also disclosed are various methods of immunoassay using that peptide or antibodies raised to it. Finally, immunoassays for simian specimens are disclosed using peptides that are immunologically cross-reactive with the above-described peptide, or antibodies thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Publication date: August 16, 2001
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Phyllis J. Kanki
  • Patent number: 6103238
    Abstract: Selective deglycosylation of HIV-1 envelope proteins enhances their ability to elicit a protective immune response in people. Glycosylation can reduce or prevent immunological recognition of envelope protein domains. Selective deglycosylation exposes these domains and improves the opportunity for a protective immune response. Deglycosylation which produces substantial conformational changes (as determined by loss of infectivity) should be avoided. Recombinant HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins are generated which have primary amino acid sequence mutation(s) in consensus sequence(s) for N-linked glycosylation (sugar attachment), so as to prevent glycosylation at that site(s). The position of such genetic deglycosylation is important and should be between the C terminus of gp120 and the Cys at the N-terminal side of the cysteine loop containing the hyper-variable region 3 (V3) (this Cys is generally positioned about at residue 296, counting from the N-terminus of gp120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Tun-Hou Lee, Woan-Ruoh Lee, Chun-Nan Lee
  • Patent number: 5736391
    Abstract: Nucleic acid constructs encoding mutated human immunodeficiency virus gp41 polypeptides are described. The mutated polypeptides are effective to disrupt viral replication of HIV or disrupt the assembly of viral Env proteins in an HIV infected cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Xiaofang Yu, Tun-Hou Lee
  • Patent number: 5731142
    Abstract: A first glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 120,000 daltons in the H9/HTLV-III cell line, of which approximately 90,000 daltons is the unglycosylated moiety, is obtained from cells infected with human T-cell leukemia virus, type III. A second glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 160,000 daltons is also obtained from such cells, of which approximately 90,000 daltons is the unglycosylated moiety and is substantially identical to the unglycosylated moiety of the first glycoprotein.The presence, in a biological specimen, of either of these unglycosylated or of the unglycosylated moiety is indicative of the presence of cells infected by human T-cell leukemia virus. An assay for the glycoprotein or its unglycosylated moiety is a useful diagnostic procedure for determining such infection in biological specimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Tun-Hou Lee
  • Patent number: 5707864
    Abstract: Nucleic acid constructs encoding mutated human immunodeficiency virus matrix proteins are described. The mutated proteins lower the incorporation of envelope polypeptides in viral particles, disrupt viral assembly or disrupt viral entry into uninfected cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Xiaofang Yu, Tun-Hou Lee
  • Patent number: 5068174
    Abstract: Cells infected with HTLV-III yield a protein (p27) having an apparent molecular weight of about 27,000 daltons.This invention was made in the course of work for the NIH under grants CA37466, CA23885, and CA2T32-CA09031, and the United States Government has certain rights in the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Jonathan S. Allan, Tun-Hou Lee
  • Patent number: 5045448
    Abstract: A first glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 61,000-68,000 daltons in the MJ, C5-MJ, C91 PL or HUT-102 cell lines, of which 46,000 to 48,000 is the unglycosylated moiety, is obtained from cells infected with human T cell leukemia virus. A second glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 45,000-52,000 daltons is also obtained from such cells and is in large part identical to the NH.sub.2 -terminal end of the first glycoprotein. The presence, in a biological specimen, of antibody to the antigenic determinant of either of these proteins is indicative of the presence of cells infected by human T cell leukemia virus. An assay for the antibody is a useful diagnostic procedure for determining such infection in biological specimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Tun-Hou Lee
  • Patent number: 4743678
    Abstract: A first glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 61,000-68,000 daltons in the MJ, C5-MJ, C91 PL or HUT-102 cell lines, of which 46,000 to 48,000 is the unglycosylated moiety, is obtained from cells infected with human T cell leukemia virus. A second glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 45,000-52,000 daltons is also obtained from such cells and is in large part identical to the NH.sub.2 -terminal end of the first glycoprotein. The presence, in a biological specimen, of antibody to the antigenic determinant of either of these proteins is indicative of the presence of cells infected by human T cell leukemia virus. An assay for the antibody is a useful diagnostic procedure for determining such infection in biologial specimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Tun-Hou Lee
  • Patent number: 4725669
    Abstract: A first glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 120,000 daltons in the H9/HTLV-III cell line, of which approximately 90,000 daltons is the unglycosylated moiety, is obtained from cells infected with human T-cell leukemia virus, type III. A second glycoprotein having a molecular weight of aproximately 160,000 daltons is also obtained from such cells, of which approximately 90,000 daltons is the unglycosylated moiety and is substantially identical to the unglycosylated moiety of the first glycoprotein.The presence, in a biological specimen, of either of these glycoproteins or of the unglycosylated moiety is indicative of the presence of cells infected by human T-cell leukemia virus. An assay for the glycoprotein or its unglycosylated moiety is a useful diagnostic procedure for determining such infection in biological specimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Myron E. Essex, Tun-Hou Lee