Bayer has been awarded US Patent No. 7,033,758, "Highly sensitive gene detection and localization using in situ branched-DNA hybridization."
Inventors listed on the patent are Daryn Kenny, Lu Ping Shen, Vincent Antao, Audrey Player, and Wei Cao.
According to its abstract, the patent protects methods for highly sensitive and rapid in situ detection of a nucleic acid analyte of a known sequence. The method employs oligonucleotide probes in a series of optimized steps to amplify a signal and decrease background. Sensitivity is enhanced such that the method can detect as few as one to two copies of nucleic acid analyte per sample, the sample containing a cell, tissue, or similar biological material. The patent also provides methods of detecting and identifying the position of the nucleic acid analyte in a cell, the abstract states.
The General Hospital Corporation of Boston has been awarded US Patent No. 7,033,773, "Screening assays for G-protein coupled receptor agonists and antagonists."
Inventors listed on the patent are Richard Bringhurst and Hisashi Takasu.
According to its abstract, the patent protects stably transfected LLC-PK1 cells which express human PTHR, a receptor shared by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and its closely related peptide, PTHrP. LLC-PK1 cells are porcine renal epithelial cells which do not normally express PTHR. The patent also provides methods for determining whether a compound of interest is an agonist or antagonist of a Gs- or Gq-protein coupled receptor.
Surface Logix has been awarded US Patent Nos. 7,033,819, "System for monitoring cell motility in real time," and 7,033,821, "Device for monitoring cell motility in real time."
Inventors listed on the patents are Enoch Kim, Gregory Kirk, Olivier Schueller, and Emanuele Ostuni.
According to their abstracts, the patents protect devices for arraying biomolecules, assays for monitoring cellular movement, and systems for monitoring cellular movement.
Rigel Pharmaceuticals has been awarded US Patent No. 7,034,145, "Directionally cloned random cDNA expression vector libraries, compositions, and methods of use."
Inventors listed on the patent are Mary Shen, Simon Yu, Xian Wu, and Donald Payan.
According to its abstract, the patent protects random cDNA expression vector libraries, comprising expression vectors which comprise random cDNAs positioned in sense and/or antisense orientation. The patent also describes methods for producing these libraries through directional cloning of random cDNAs, and methods of using these libraries to screen for agents capable of modulating cell phenotype in desirable ways, the abstract states.