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IP Roundup: Panasonic, Affymetrix, Toyo Kohan, U of Newcastle, Illumina

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Panasonic has received US Patent No. 8,496,794, "Biosensor, biosensor chip, and biosensor device." The described platform can electronically detect the binding reaction of a biological substance such as an oligonucleotide, antigen, enzyme, peptide, antibody, or glucose. It consists of a working electrode, a counter electrode, and working electrode and reference terminals connected to each other by wire. Using the platform, it is possible to assay a target substance without being influenced by the line resistance on the working electrode side, the inventors claim.


Affymetrix of Santa Clara, Calif., has received US Patent No. 8,497,064, "Nucleic acid labeling compounds." The provided compounds are synthesized by condensing a heterocyclic derivative with a cyclic group, such as a ribofuranose derivative. The labeling compounds are suitable for enzymatic attachment to a nucleic acid, either terminally or internally, to provide a mechanism of nucleic acid detection, according to the patent.


Affymetrix has also received US Patent No. 8,498,825, "Methods for high throughput genotyping." Methods for genotyping polymorphisms using allele specific probes are disclosed. A training set is used to generate a model for each polymorphism to be interrogated. The training set is used to obtain an estimate of the asymmetry between an intensity measurement for a first allele and an intensity measurement for a second allele of the same polymorphism. The intensity measurement obtained for a test sample is then adjusted using the estimate of asymmetry prior to using the intensity measurements to make a genotyping call.


Toyo Kohan of Tokyo has received US Patent No. 8,497,068, "Method for detecting a position of probe on microarray." A method for detecting hybridization between a probe polynucleotide and a target polynucleotide on a microarray is provided. According to the inventors, the method may be used to determine the accuracy of hybridization and possible causes of inaccuracy, such as insufficient washing or deterioration of the microarray.


The University of Newcastle of Tyneside, UK, has received US Patent No. 8,497,106, "Immobilization of biological molecules." The method includes covalently attaching a substantially three-dimensional polysilane polymer to a substrate; and (attaching a biological molecule onto it within the polymer. The method may also include the steps of coating the substrate with a layer of radiation sensitive material, exposing the substrate to a source of radiation, and incubating the substrate in the presence of a first species of biological molecule.


Illumina has received US Patent No. 8,498,052, "Composition including an item and an encoded optical substrate and a method for identifying an item." The patent described an optical substrate attached to an item. According to the patent, at least a portion of the substrate has a diffraction grating embedded on it. The grating has a resultant refractive index variation at a grating location, and the grating provides an output optical signal indicative of a code when illuminated by an incident light signal.

The Scan

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In a Novartis-sponsored study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment targeting promoters of genes encoding fetal hemoglobin could reduce disease symptoms.

Gut Microbiome Changes Appear in Infants Before They Develop Eczema, Study Finds

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Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Specificity Enhanced With Stem Cell Editing

A study in Nature suggests epitope editing in donor stem cells prior to bone marrow transplants can stave off toxicity when targeting acute myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy.