Patents by Inventor Virgil B. Lawlis, Jr.

Virgil B. Lawlis, Jr. 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: 5801034
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for killing cells in fermentation mixtures in order to prepare the fermentation mixture for processing to recover or extract a desired product from the fermentation mixture. A preferred method of this invention comprises in either order, adjusting the pH of the fermentation mixture to a value equal to or less than about two pH units below the pK.sub.a of the compatible organic acid using a mineral acid, and adding a sufficient amount of a compatible organic acid and/or organic acid salt to the mixture to effect a substantially complete cell kill. The method of this invention is useful for killing microorganisms such as yeast, bacteria or fungi in any culture or fermentation mixture and is particularly useful in systems where it is desired to kill the cells without lysing them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Genencor International
    Inventors: Virgil B. Lawlis, Jr., Henry G. Heinsohn, Enrique F. Baliu
  • Patent number: 5378621
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for killing fungal cells without lysing in fermentation processes in order to prepare the fermentation mixture for processing to recover or extract an extracellularly expressed enzyme from the fermentation mixture. A preferred method of this invention comprises adjusting the pH of the fermentation mixture to less than 2.79 using a mineral acid, then adding sufficient acetic acid to the mixture to affect a substantially complete cell kill in mixture. A salt of the acetic acid can be used. The organic acid or salt can be added, then the pH adjusted to the desired level. Other organic acids can be used, in which case the pH of the mixture is adjusted to the pK.sub.a of the selected organic acid before the organic acid is added to the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Genencor, Inc.
    Inventors: Virgil B. Lawlis, Jr., Henry G. Heinsohn, Enrique F. Baliu
  • Patent number: 5130255
    Abstract: Container systems for stable storage of pharmaceutical compounds are disclosed. The container systems prevent the formation of adducts between pharmaceutical compounds and aldehydes during storage of these compounds in containers sealed with elastomeric stoppers that leach aldehydes. Methods for determining the presence of these adducts are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: Genentech, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Battersby, William S. Hancock, Virgil B. Lawlis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5041377
    Abstract: Crystalline subtilisin is produced by adding a halide salt, such as sodium chloride or calcium chloride, to a concentrated subtilisin solution (at least about 40 g/1). This process does not produce amorphous subtilisin even at high salt concentrations in the solution. Optionally, subtilisin seed crystals also may be added to the concentrate to speed up the crystallization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: Genencor International Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Becker, Virgil B. Lawlis, Jr.