Ryogen Receives Nine Human Gene Patents in 2012

Ryogen Portfolio of 23 Issued Patents Cover Genes Associated with Several Cancers, Diabetes, Obesity, Pancreatitis, Hepatitis, Lupus, Asthma, Hypertension and Alzheimer’s Disease

Suffern, NY – February 12, 2013 – Ryogen LLC, a genomic research and development company focusing on genes implicated in clinical diseases, had a very fruitful year in 2012, further developing its Intellectual Property portfolio. In 2012, Ryogen was awarded nine new patents, bringing the total number of issued U.S. Patents to 23 with 18 patent applications pending approval at the U.S. Patent Office.

Ryogen’s patents and patent applications are directed to genes that play important roles in various cancers, diabetes, obesity, hepatitis C, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and other diseases. They cover large segments of human chromosomes X, 1, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 17 and 19.

“We are very pleased that the USPTO has awarded us these patents,” said Dr. James W. Ryan, the named inventor on the patents and Chief Scientist at Ryogen. “We can now license this technology to the research facilities that can turn them into tomorrow’s diagnostics, drugs and treatments.”

“Ryogen is becoming one of the major gene patent holders,” said Valeria Poltorak, Ryogen’s Executive Vice President. “Ryogen’s patents are available for licensing to the research and biotech community.”

About Ryogen LLC

Ryogen LLC, headquartered in Suffern, N.Y., a genomics R&D company, owns an intellectual property (IP) portfolio of 23 gene patents and several patent applications directed to various genes with potentially important applications in biomedical research and, ultimately, diagnostics and drug development. Ryogen was formed with the purpose of making its intellectual property accessible to researchers via licensing of its patents. Ryogen is a business unit in the idea incubator operated by IP Holdings LLC, and Ryogen is managed by General Patent Corporation (GPC). For further information, visit www.ryogen.com.

The new additions to the Ryogen patent portfolio include:

  • U.S. Patent No. 8,338,100 “Isolated Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments from Chromosome 12 that Encode Human Carboxypeptidase M” is directed to the region of a genomic sequence encoding a protein associated with monocyte to macrophage differentiation. It is believed to play significant role in the control of peptide hormone and growth factor activity at the cell surface, and in the membrane-localized degradation of extracellular proteins. It is implicated in choriocarcinoma as well as lung cancer.
  • U.S. Patents Nos. 8,323,884 and 8,313,899 “Isolated SNARE YKT6 Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments from Chromosome 7 and their Uses” claim an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide which has SNARE YKT6 activity and is one of the highly conserved from yeast to human molecules. Abnormalities in this gene are tied to severe mental disorders and breast cancer.
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,313,910 “Isolated Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments from Chromosome 12 that Encode Human Mouse Double Minute 2 Homolog” teaches a method of isolation of specific parts of genomic sequence, which encodes a protein, regulating the tumor suppressor gene p53, the so called “guardian of genome;” it can act as an alternative to cytotoxic chemotherapy in many tumor cells.
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,313,900 “Isolated DNA Directed 50kD Regulatory Subunit (POLD2) Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments from Chromosome 7 and their Uses” is focused on a genomic nucleic acid that encodes a protein involved in DNA replication and repair.
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,283,118 “Isolated Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments from Chromosome 19 that Encode Human Syntaxin Binding protein 2” relates to the gene encoding polypeptide binding to syntaxins disposed largely in placenta, lung, liver, kidney, peripheral lymphocytes and pancreas. It is believed to play a role in vesicular transport between the Golgi apparatus and the cell membrane in non-neuronal tissues.
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,258,273 “Isolated Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments from Chromosome 10q25.3 that Encode Human Soluble Aminopeptidase P” claims contiguous DNA (and corresponding RNA) sequence segments encoding soluble aminopeptidase P that is believed to be important in the maturation and degradation of peptide hormones, neuropeptides, and tachykinins, as well as in the digestion of otherwise resistant dietary protein fragments, complementing the pancreatic peptidases.
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,241,849 “Isolated Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments that Encode Human Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2” teaches a method of identifying presence of the polynucleotide encoding this polypeptide, which plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis and is regarded as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. Concentrations of this protein are altered in several disease states, such as systemic lupus erythematosis, stroke and asthma.
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,178,662 “Isolated AEBP1 Genomic Polynucleotide Fragments from Chromosome 7 and their Uses” claims a genomic region encoding protein AEBP1 that is thought to play a role in differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells, in inflammation, obesity, cancer and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

The complete list of the issued patents with their descriptions is available at the Patents page of Ryogen’s website.

About IP Holdings LLC

IP Holdings LLC, based in Suffern, N.Y., is an IP-centric merchant banking organization that provides IP related financial services, patent brokerage services. Ryogen is a portfolio company of an idea incubator operated by IP Holdings. For additional information, visit www.ip-holdings.com.