How a Specific Protein Fragment Can Train Immune Cells to Fight Cancer
This patent describes methods to fight various cancers by using a specific protein fragment (peptide LYHDIFSRL) to train a patient's immune cells to recognize and attack tumor cells.
Original patent title: “Peptides and combination of peptides for use in immunotherapy against various cancers”
This patent describes methods to fight various cancers by using a specific protein fragment (peptide LYHDIFSRL) to train a patient's immune cells to recognize and attack tumor cells. Granted to Immatics Biotechnologies in 2019 with 22 claims and 4 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2038.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes two main ways to use a specific protein fragment, called a peptide, to fight cancer. One method (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) involves taking T cells from a patient or a donor, activating them in the lab to recognize a specific peptide called LYHDIFSRL (SEQ ID NO: 271) when it's displayed on cancer cells by an MHC molecule, and then giving these activated T cells back to the patient. These trained T cells then seek out and kill cancer cells that display this peptide. The patent lists many cancers that can be treated this way, including glioblastoma, breast cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. The second method (Claim 19) involves directly administering a composition containing the LYHDIFSRL peptide to the patient. This peptide then teaches the patient's own immune system to create T cells that can recognize and attack the cancer cells.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover methods using different peptides or protein fragments other than LYHDIFSRL (SEQ ID NO: 271) to elicit an immune response against cancer.
- Does not cover immunotherapies for cancer types not explicitly listed in the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →, such as certain rare cancers or pediatric cancers.
- Does not cover general cancer treatments that do not involve T cells or the specific peptide-MHC interaction described.
- Does not cover preventative cancer vaccines that aim to stop cancer from forming in the first place, only treatments for existing cancer.
- Does not cover T-cell therapies that target cancer cells through mechanisms entirely different from recognizing a peptide presented by an MHC molecule.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever part is the identification of a specific, short protein fragment (the LYHDIFSRL peptide) that is consistently displayed on the surface of many different types of cancer cells, allowing the immune system to recognize and target them. This provides a universal 'flag' for T cells to attack a broad spectrum of tumors.
The Patent Drawing
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
T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T-cell therapies
Peptide-based cancer vaccines
Adoptive cell therapies for solid tumors
Immunotherapy treatments for glioblastoma
Immunotherapy treatments for non-small cell lung cancer
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is important because it identifies a specific target, the LYHDIFSRL peptide, that can be used to direct the immune system against a wide range of cancers. This approach, known as immunotherapy, aims to harness the body's natural defenses to fight disease, potentially offering more precise and less toxic treatments than traditional chemotherapy. By focusing on specific tumor-associated peptides, it advances the field of personalized medicine, where treatments are tailored to the unique characteristics of a patient's cancer.
Filed
August 21, 2018
Granted
June 11, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is actively developing T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T-cell therapies and cancer vaccines based on tumor-associated peptides. They are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on leveraging the body's own immune system to fight cancer. Other companies in the broader field of adoptive cell therapy and personalized cancer vaccines are also exploring similar approaches, though this specific peptide is central to Immatics' work.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the rapidly expanding market for cancer immunotherapies, which has transformed cancer treatment paradigms. By identifying specific tumor targets, it enables the development of highly targeted therapies, potentially leading to more effective treatments for a wider range of cancers. This type of intellectual property helps companies like Immatics secure their position in the competitive oncology market, fostering innovation in personalized medicine and T-cell based therapies.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes two main ways to use a specific protein fragment, called a peptide, to fight cancer. One method (Claim 1) involves taking T cells from a patient or a donor, activating them in the lab to recognize a specific peptide called LYHDIFSRL (SEQ ID NO: 271) when it's displayed on cancer cells by an MHC molecule, and then giving these activated T cells back to the patient. These trained T cells then seek out and kill cancer cells that display this peptide. The patent lists many cancers that can be treated this way, including glioblastoma, breast cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. The second method (Claim 19) involves directly administering a composition containing the LYHDIFSRL peptide to the patient. This peptide then teaches the patient's own immune system to create T cells that can recognize and attack the cancer cells.
The clever bit
The clever part is the identification of a specific, short protein fragment (the LYHDIFSRL peptide) that is consistently displayed on the surface of many different types of cancer cells, allowing the immune system to recognize and target them. This provides a universal 'flag' for T cells to attack a broad spectrum of tumors.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover methods using different peptides or protein fragments other than LYHDIFSRL (SEQ ID NO: 271) to elicit an immune response against cancer.
- Does not cover immunotherapies for cancer types not explicitly listed in the claims, such as certain rare cancers or pediatric cancers.
- Does not cover general cancer treatments that do not involve T cells or the specific peptide-MHC interaction described.
- Does not cover preventative cancer vaccines that aim to stop cancer from forming in the first place, only treatments for existing cancer.
- Does not cover T-cell therapies that target cancer cells through mechanisms entirely different from recognizing a peptide presented by an MHC molecule.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
14/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
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
$140K – $449K
Midpoint $281K · 12.1 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.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Schoor, O., SONG, C., Singh, H., MAHR, A., Weinschenk, T., & FRITSCHE, J. (2019). How a Specific Protein Fragment Can Train Immune Cells to Fight Cancer (U.S. Patent No. 10,314,897). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10314897/peptides-and-combination-of-peptides-for-use-in-immunotherapy-against-various-ca
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 a Specific Protein Fragment Can Train Immune Cells to Fight Cancer cover?
This patent describes methods to fight various cancers by using a specific protein fragment (peptide LYHDIFSRL) to train a patient's immune cells to recognize and attack tumor cells.
Who owns patent US 10314897?
Immatics Biotechnologies owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on August 21, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10314897 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 4 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is important because it identifies a specific target, the LYHDIFSRL peptide, that can be used to direct the immune system against a wide range of cancers. This approach, known as immunotherapy, aims to harness the body's natural defenses to fight disease, potentially offering more precise and less toxic treatments than traditional chemotherapy. By focusing on specific tumor-associated peptides, it advances the field of personalized medicine, where treatments are tailored to the unique characteristics of a patient's cancer.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover methods using different peptides or protein fragments other than LYHDIFSRL (SEQ ID NO: 271) to elicit an immune response against cancer.
Same assignee
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