How to Engineer Antibodies to Better Target and Destroy Disease
This patent describes a way to modify the tail end of an antibody so it binds more strongly to immune cells, helping the body fight off infections or cancer more effectively.
Original patent title: “Optimized Fc variants and methods for their generation”
This patent describes a way to modify the tail end of an antibody so it binds more strongly to immune cells, helping the body fight off infections or cancer more effectively. Granted to Xencor Inc in 2019 with 42 claims and 12 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → specific modifications to the Fc region of an antibody, which is the 'tail' part that tells the immune system what to do. By swapping specific amino acids at positions 239 and 332—specifically using aspartic acid (D) or glutamic acid (E)—the antibody is engineered to bind more tightly to a receptor called FcγRIIIa. This receptor is found on natural killer cells and other immune cells. When the antibody binds more tightly to these cells, it triggers a stronger immune response, making the antibody much better at flagging and destroying target cells like cancer cells.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover antibodies that do not contain the specific 239 and 332 amino acid substitutions.
- Does not cover naturally occurring, non-engineered Fc regions.
- Does not cover methods of treating patients, only the genetic material and production methods for the modified antibodies.
- Does not cover Fc variants that use different amino acid positions for binding enhancement.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The inventors realized that by precisely tuning the electrostatic charge at two specific spots on the Fc region, they could dramatically increase affinity for the FcγRIIIa receptor without destabilizing the entire antibody structure.
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
Monoclonal antibody cancer therapies
Immune-boosting protein therapeutics
Xencor's XmAb technology platform
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology is a cornerstone of modern immunotherapy. By making antibodies 'stickier' to immune cells, drug developers can create treatments that require lower doses to be effective. This is essential for developing potent monoclonal antibodies used in oncology to help the patient's own immune system recognize and kill tumors.
Filed
May 27, 2016
Granted
January 22, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Xencor Inc. continues to be the primary developer of this technology, licensing their XmAb platform to major pharmaceutical companies like Novartis, Amgen, and MorphoSys to create next-generation therapeutic antibodies.
Market impact
This patent and the underlying technology helped establish the field of 'Fc engineering,' allowing companies to create 'potentiated' antibodies. It shifted the industry focus from merely finding antibodies that bind to a target to actively designing the antibody's tail to maximize the immune system's killing power.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent claims specific modifications to the Fc region of an antibody, which is the 'tail' part that tells the immune system what to do. By swapping specific amino acids at positions 239 and 332—specifically using aspartic acid (D) or glutamic acid (E)—the antibody is engineered to bind more tightly to a receptor called FcγRIIIa. This receptor is found on natural killer cells and other immune cells. When the antibody binds more tightly to these cells, it triggers a stronger immune response, making the antibody much better at flagging and destroying target cells like cancer cells.
The clever bit
The inventors realized that by precisely tuning the electrostatic charge at two specific spots on the Fc region, they could dramatically increase affinity for the FcγRIIIa receptor without destabilizing the entire antibody structure.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover antibodies that do not contain the specific 239 and 332 amino acid substitutions.
- Does not cover naturally occurring, non-engineered Fc regions.
- Does not cover methods of treating patients, only the genetic material and production methods for the modified antibodies.
- Does not cover Fc variants that use different amino acid positions for binding enhancement.
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
22/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
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
$288K – $922K
Midpoint $576K · 9.9 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
42 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Karki, S. B., Chirino, A. J., Doberstein, S. K., Desjarlais, J., Vafa, O., Lazar, G. A., Dang, W., & Hayes, R. J. (2019). How to Engineer Antibodies to Better Target and Destroy Disease (U.S. Patent No. 10,184,000). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10184000/libtayo-cemiplimab
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 to Engineer Antibodies to Better Target and Destroy Disease cover?
This patent describes a way to modify the tail end of an antibody so it binds more strongly to immune cells, helping the body fight off infections or cancer more effectively.
Who owns patent US 10184000?
Xencor Inc owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on January 22, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10184000 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 12 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology is a cornerstone of modern immunotherapy. By making antibodies 'stickier' to immune cells, drug developers can create treatments that require lower doses to be effective. This is essential for developing potent monoclonal antibodies used in oncology to help the patient's own immune system recognize and kill tumors.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover antibodies that do not contain the specific 239 and 332 amino acid substitutions.
Patent monitoring