Influenza Patent Grants Based on Nucleotide Search
The patents shown in the table below were identified by MEGABLAST analysis of the full influenza genome set from NCBI queried with sequences recited in granted U.S. patents. Criteria for matching sequences were an E value of 1e-200 or less, and at least 150 nucleotides in length. If the assignee is unknown, the inventor is listed. Related patents and patent applications filed in other countries can be found by clicking on patent number and navigating to the Patent Family and Status tab. This list is current as of 2 April 2008.
Of the patents listed in the table below, none appear to claim specific nucleic acid sequences encoding a full-length hemagglutinin (HA) or neuraminidase (NA) protein from other than equine influenza virus. Moreover, fully one-half (6) are directed to equine influenza viruses, while one is directed to swine influenza virus. Of the remaining patents, a few are directed to sequences useful for vaccine production. In particular, US 6720409 claims sequences that encode a fragment of HA (H2 or H3 sub-type) that is antigenic. Although not directly claiming HA and NA sequences, US 7037707 recites a method for producing a reassortant virus in which the origin of the six segments encoding internal proteins is specified and the origin of sequences encoding HA and NA are unspecified. As such, the HA and NA could derive any other virus, including from H5N1 virus. It is not an all-encompassing claim however, because of the limitation on the origin of the other sequences.
Of the 12 granted patents listed below, 9 are assigned to corporations and 3 are assigned to non-profit organizations.
| Patent No. | Assignee | Title | Segment(s) | Nucleotide SEQ ID in Claims | Notes |
Other Jurisdictions with Family Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5691189 | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing M2 protein of influenza A virus | A-seg7 | 1 | Claim 4: Yeast cell comprising plasmid that expresses M2 protein or mutant, such that growth of yeast cells is impaired. | – |
| 6287570 | Inventor:Foley, Patricia L. | Vaccine against swine influenza virus | A-seg5 | 2 | Claims directed to SEQ ID NO: 2 and to a vaccinia virus containing SEQ ID 2. SEQ ID NO: 2 is from a field isolate of swine influenza virus and encodes NP. |
Canada |
| 6482414 | Heska Corporation | Cold-adapted equine influenza viruses | A-seg1 | 47 | Claim 2: Nucleic acid ID 47 that encodes PB2 of equine influenza virus. | Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Europe, Spain, Japan |
| 6685946 | Heska Corporation | Cold-adapted equine influenza viruses | A-seg2 | 68,91,106,108 | Claim 2: Nucleic acids that encode PB1 of equine influenza virus. | Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Europe, Spain, Japan |
| 7201909 | Heska Corporation | Cold-adapted equine influenza viruses | A-seg4_H3 | 10 | Claim 2: Nucleic acid molecule (SEQ ID 10) that encodes equine influenza HA. | Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Europe, Spain, Japan |
| 6579528 | Heska Corporation | Cold-adapted equine influenza viruses | A-seg7 | 4, 6 | Nucleic acid SEQ ID 4 or 6, which encode M protein. | Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Europe, Spain, Japan |
| 7169397 | Heska Corporation | Cold-adapted equine influenza viruses | A-seg8 | 57,59 | Nucleic acid SEQ ID 57 or 59, which encode NS protein. | Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Europe, Spain, Japan |
| 7244435 | Oklahoma State University | DNA vaccine expressing HA1 of equine-2 influenza virus | A-seg4_H3 | 1 | Claim 4: A vaccine for equine influenza virus comprising DNA encoding HA1 protein. | Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Maxico |
| 6245532 | Protein Sciences Corporation | Method for producing influenza hemagglutinin multivalent vaccines | A-seg4_H1, A-seg4_H3 | 6, 8 | Claim 5: Nucleic acid encoding part of IDs 6 and 8 that are signal peptide linked to a heterologous coding sequence. | Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Europe. Spain, Finland, Hong Kong, Iceland, Hungary, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovakia |
| 6720409 | Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd. | Anti-human influenza virus antibody | A-seg4_H2, A-seg4_H3 | 46,49, 57 | Claim 3: Gene sequence that encodes HA polypeptide that has antigenicity of stem region but lacks globular head region. For raising antibodies and for a vaccine. | Canada, Germany, Europe, Japan |
| 7037707 | St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital | Method for generating influenza viruses and vaccines | A-seg8 | 2 | Claim 2: Method for producing reassortant influenza virus by transfecting host cells with expression plasmids containing PB2 PB1 PA NP M genes from A/PuertoRico/8/34 virus and NS sequence ID 2 encoding NS1 and NS2, and other n.a. encoding HA and NA from other virus. | World |
| 6824784 | The University of Pittsburgh | Cold-adapted equine influenza viruses | A-seg4_H3 | 10,12 | Claim 1: Nucleic acid molecule (either SEQ ID 10 or 12) that encodes equine influenza HA. | Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Europe, Spain, Japan |