Most cited biotechnology patents

1

This patent describes how to create new, engineered antibodies by combining parts of antibodies from two different animal species, then growing them in a lab.

2

This patent describes the fundamental three-step process for making millions of copies of a specific piece of DNA using short starter molecules and an enzyme, a technique known as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

3

This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.

4

This patent describes a method for modifying mouse antibodies so human immune systems accept them as their own, allowing them to be used as powerful, long-lasting medical treatments.

5

This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.

6

This patent describes a method to make anti-infective drugs called muramyldipeptides work better by injecting them separately but close in time with tiny fat bubbles called liposomes into an animal.

7

This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.

8

This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.

9

This patent describes a "sandwich" method using two highly specific, man-made antibodies to detect and measure tiny amounts of specific substances, like disease markers, in a fluid sample.

10

This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.

11

This patent describes a method for detecting a specific DNA sequence in a sample by using a labeled DNA probe and an enzyme that cuts the probe, releasing detectable fragments.

12

Genentech's 1995 patent on a systematic method for humanizing rodent antibodies by grafting their disease-targeting loops onto a human consensus framework while carefully swapping key structural support residues to maintain binding strength.

13

Genentech's 2001 patent on a method to create stable, concentrated antibody medicines that can be easily reconstituted for injection, preventing degradation during freezing and storage.

14

This patent describes specific engineered antibodies, made from mouse and human parts, designed to block TGF-beta proteins to help treat various cancers like breast or lung cancer.

15

Harvard's 1988 patent on genetically engineered mice that carry cancer-causing genes, designed to help scientists study how cancer develops and test treatments.

16

This patent describes specific new chemical compounds, called N-phenyl-2-pyrimidine-amine derivatives, designed with precise molecular structures for potential use in treating cancer.

17

This patent protects the specific chemical structure of a molecule designed to lower cholesterol, including its various salt forms and its use in medicine.

18

Abgenix's 1999 patent on fully human monoclonal antibodies that bind to CTLA-4, a protein brake on the immune system, allowing T-cells to stay active and attack cancer cells.

19

A 1979 patent by Merck describing the isolation of a fermentation product from Aspergillus fungi that effectively lowers cholesterol levels in the blood.

20

This patent describes a way to create small, single-chain proteins that mimic the binding power of full-sized antibodies to deliver medicine more effectively.

21

This patent describes a method for precisely reshaping the front surface of the eye using an ultraviolet laser to correct vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

22

This 2000 patent describes specific human antibodies designed to strongly bind and neutralize a protein called TNFα, which is linked to inflammation and autoimmune diseases.

23

This patent describes the specific DNA sequences and methods to engineer cells to produce erythropoietin (EPO), a protein vital for red blood cell production, outside the human body.

24

This 1980 patent describes a method for cutting and pasting DNA pieces in a lab to create new, self-replicating genetic material that can be inserted into bacteria, a foundational technique for genetic engineering.

25

This patent describes how to make poorly water-soluble drugs dissolve and absorb better by mixing them with specially modified, non-crystalline sugar molecules called cyclodextrin derivatives.

26

A breakthrough method for using modified RNA to deliver instructions to cells without causing the body to reject the treatment as a foreign invader.

27

A 1997 patent describing a specific humanized antibody designed to block VEGF, a protein that helps tumors grow their own blood supply.

28

This 1987 patent describes a method to find tiny differences in DNA sequences by using special DNA pieces (probes) and cutting enzymes, which can help diagnose genetic conditions like sickle cell anemia.

29

This 1980 patent describes a medical catheter system with a guide catheter and a special dilatation catheter that can expand to open or close body passages, like blood vessels.

30

A method for treating B-cell lymphoma by using radioactive antibodies to target cancer cells without destroying the patient's bone marrow.