Ryogen awarded two patents directed to polynucleotide sequences

U.S. Patent No. 8,765,928 entitled "Identification of isolated genomic nucleotide fragments from the p15 region of chromosome 11 encoding human tumor suppressing subtransferable candidate 4 (TSSC4) and variants thereof" was issued on July 1, 2014.

The TSSC4 gene is one of several tumor-suppressing fragments on chromosome 11, alterations to which have been associated with some cancers. Ryogen’s portfolio includes U.S. Patent No. 8,722,865 directed to TSSC4. This new patent claims a further method of identifying variants in corresponding DNA or RNA polynucleotides.

U.S. Patent No. 8,771,956 entitled "Modulation of human mouse double minute 2 homolog activity" was issued on July 8, 2014. The patent is directed to MDM2 homolog which was a theme of Ryogen’s Patent Nos. 8,313,910, 7,964,357 and 7,754,424.

Human MDM2 homolog is an important regulator of the tumor-suppressing protein p53, "the guardian of genome", which prevents cancerous mutations. The MDM2 dysregulation is associated with acceleration of tumor formation in some cancers. The methods for modulating levels of human MDM2 homolog activity in a subject, claimed by this patent, could constitute an important tool for controlling cancer.

The addition of the new patents further expands Ryogen’s IP portfolio directed to polynucleotide sequences which play important roles in various cancers, diabetes and obesity, hepatitis C, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases. In addition to its 32 issued patents, the company has patent applications in different stages of prosecution at the U.S. Patent Office.

"The new patents are extremely valuable because they hold a promise for anti-cancer therapies," said Valeria Poltorak, Executive Vice President of Ryogen. The complete list of issued patents is available at the Patents page of the Ryogen website. The whole IP portfolio is available for licensing to research and business communities on very favorable terms.