How Synthetic Peptides Block Immune System Overreaction
A patent describing specific synthetic peptides designed to stop the body's immune system from attacking healthy cells by blocking a protein called C5.
Original patent title: “Modulation of complement activity”
A patent describing specific synthetic peptides designed to stop the body's immune system from attacking healthy cells by blocking a protein called C5. Granted to Ra Pharmaceuticals Inc in 2018 with 21 claims and 8 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a family of synthetic peptides—short chains of amino acids—that act as precision tools to modulate the complement system. The complement system is a part of the immune system that normally helps clear pathogens, but when overactive, it can cause severe inflammation and tissue damage. The claimed peptides include specific structures that use bridging moieties, such as aromatic rings or thioether bonds, to lock the peptide into a stable, cyclic shape. This shape allows the peptide to bind specifically to the C5 protein, preventing it from being cleaved into smaller, active parts that trigger immune attacks. By inhibiting this cleavage, these peptides can be used to treat conditions like paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria or atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover naturally occurring peptides found in the human body.
- Does not cover general methods of protein synthesis not involving these specific sequences.
- Does not cover non-peptide inhibitors of the complement system.
- Does not cover treatments for diseases not related to complement system activity.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the use of synthetic 'bridging moieties' to force flexible peptides into rigid, cyclic shapes, which significantly increases their binding affinity and stability in the bloodstream compared to linear peptides.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Zilucoplan
Treatments for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Therapies for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome
Why it matters
The bigger picture
The complement system is implicated in a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. By developing small, stable peptides that can be administered as drugs, researchers can target specific immune pathways with high precision, potentially offering alternatives to larger, more complex antibody-based therapies.
Filed
June 12, 2015
Granted
October 23, 2018
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Ra Pharmaceuticals was acquired by UCB, which continues to advance these peptide-based therapies. Other major players in the complement inhibition space, such as Alexion Pharmaceuticals (now part of AstraZeneca), also monitor these developments closely.
Market impact
This technology contributed to the development of specialized therapeutics for rare blood and kidney disorders. It helped validate the use of macrocyclic peptides as a viable drug class, influencing how pharmaceutical companies approach the design of drugs that need to bind to specific protein targets with high affinity.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a family of synthetic peptides—short chains of amino acids—that act as precision tools to modulate the complement system. The complement system is a part of the immune system that normally helps clear pathogens, but when overactive, it can cause severe inflammation and tissue damage. The claimed peptides include specific structures that use bridging moieties, such as aromatic rings or thioether bonds, to lock the peptide into a stable, cyclic shape. This shape allows the peptide to bind specifically to the C5 protein, preventing it from being cleaved into smaller, active parts that trigger immune attacks. By inhibiting this cleavage, these peptides can be used to treat conditions like paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria or atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the use of synthetic 'bridging moieties' to force flexible peptides into rigid, cyclic shapes, which significantly increases their binding affinity and stability in the bloodstream compared to linear peptides.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover naturally occurring peptides found in the human body.
- Does not cover general methods of protein synthesis not involving these specific sequences.
- Does not cover non-peptide inhibitors of the complement system.
- Does not cover treatments for diseases not related to complement system activity.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
19/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
14/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$234K – $749K
Midpoint $468K · 9.0 yr remaining · industry ×3.0
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
21 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Ricardo, A., Elbaum, D., Hammer, R. P., Larson, K. C., Treco, D. A., Perlmutter, S. J., Ye, P., Seyb, K., Tang, G., Dhamnaskar, K. A., Wang, Z., Zheng, H., Josephson, K., Ma, Z., Hoarty, M. D., & Nims, N. E. (2018). How Synthetic Peptides Block Immune System Overreaction (U.S. Patent No. 10,106,579). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10106579/orkambi-lumacaftor-ivacaftor
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Synthetic Peptides Block Immune System Overreaction cover?
A patent describing specific synthetic peptides designed to stop the body's immune system from attacking healthy cells by blocking a protein called C5.
Who owns patent US 10106579?
Ra Pharmaceuticals Inc owns this patent, granted in 2018.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 23, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10106579 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 8 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
The complement system is implicated in a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. By developing small, stable peptides that can be administered as drugs, researchers can target specific immune pathways with high precision, potentially offering alternatives to larger, more complex antibody-based therapies.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover naturally occurring peptides found in the human body.
Patent monitoring