Interleukin Genetics has won a patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office for the discovery that “certain common” SNPs in the Interleukin-1 genes are linked to an increased risk for osteoporosis. In a recent study, the company showed that certain SNPs in the IL-1 genes “produce lifelong tendencies to have more inflammation or qualitative differences in inflammation mechanisms. Any one of different IL-1 SNPs leads to altered levels of inflammation and is associated with an increased risk of bone fractures,” the firm said.