# An Antibody That Detects Specific Sugar-Protein Combinations for Diagnostics > This patent describes a unique antibody designed to precisely recognize a specific sugar-protein structure, particularly a 'fucosylated glycopeptide' found on certain proteins like alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which is useful for medical tests. - **Patent:** US 10479827 - **Original title:** Monoclonal antibody reacting with glycopeptide, and use thereof - **Owner:** Sysmex - **Granted:** 2019 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 0 - **Field:** biotech, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, medical_devices ## What it does This patent claims a special type of antibody, called a monoclonal antibody, that can find and stick to a very specific target. The target is a 'glycopeptide' (a protein with a sugar attached) that has a 'core fucose moiety' (a specific sugar part) and a particular sequence of amino acids near where the sugar is attached. Crucially, the antibody described in claim 1 and 11 is defined by its unique 'complementarity-determining regions' (CDRs) and reacts with a glycopeptide of formula (1) but not with similar glycopeptides of formulas (2), (3), or (4). For example, it reacts with fucosylated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), even after the protein has been treated with chemicals like SDS and DTT, which can change its shape, as described in claims 4 and 5. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover antibodies that react with glycopeptides of formula (2), (3), or (4) as defined by SEQ ID NOs: 14, 15, and 16 in the patent. - Does not cover antibodies that react with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) that is not fucosylated, even if pretreated with SDS and DTT, as specified in claim 6. - Does not cover antibodies that do not have the specific amino acid sequences for the heavy and light chain CDRs as listed in SEQ ID NOs: 1-6 or 7-12. - Does not cover antibodies that recognize only the amino acid part of the glycopeptide without the core fucose moiety being part of the epitope. ## The clever bit The clever part is creating an antibody that is highly selective, recognizing not just a protein, but a specific combination of a sugar and protein structure (a glycopeptide) where both the sugar and specific amino acids form the binding site. This allows it to differentiate between very similar molecules, like fucosylated versus non-fucosylated AFP, which is critical for accurate diagnostic tools. ## Real-world examples 1. Diagnostic kits for liver cancer screening 2. Laboratory tests for biomarker detection 3. Research tools for studying protein glycosylation 4. Immunoassays for fucosylated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ## Why it matters This patent is important for medical diagnostics, especially in detecting specific forms of proteins that can indicate diseases. Fucosylated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a known biomarker, often elevated in certain cancers like liver cancer. An antibody that can precisely distinguish between fucosylated and non-fucosylated AFP, or different glycopeptide structures, allows for more accurate and specific diagnostic tests. This specificity helps doctors identify disease markers more reliably. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does An Antibody That Detects Specific Sugar-Protein Combinations for Diagnostics cover? This patent describes a unique antibody designed to precisely recognize a specific sugar-protein structure, particularly a 'fucosylated glycopeptide' found on certain proteins like alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which is useful for medical tests. ### Who owns patent US 10479827? Sysmex owns this patent, granted in 2019. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on May 30, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What problem does this patent solve? This patent is important for medical diagnostics, especially in detecting specific forms of proteins that can indicate diseases. Fucosylated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a known biomarker, often elevated in certain cancers like liver cancer. An antibody that can precisely distinguish between fucosylated and non-fucosylated AFP, or different glycopeptide structures, allows for more accurate and specific diagnostic tests. This specificity helps doctors identify disease markers more reliably. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover antibodies that react with glycopeptides of formula (2), (3), or (4) as defined by SEQ ID NOs: 14, 15, and 16 in the patent. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10479827/monoclonal-antibody-reacting-with-glycopeptide-and-use-thereof **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10479827 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Two Special Antibodies Find Substances in Body Fluids](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4376110/psa-test-for-prostate-cancer) — 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. - [How to Find Antibodies That Only Detect Bound Drug Targets](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12590172/complex-specific-antibodies-and-antibody-fragments-and-its-use) — This patent describes a method to create and use special antibodies that only detect when a therapeutic or diagnostic antibody is bound to its target, ignoring both the target and the unbound antibody. - [Using Antibodies to Target Tissue Factor Without Stopping Blood Clotting](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7993644/stelara-ustekinumab) — A patent describing specific antibodies that attach to a protein called tissue factor without interfering with the body's natural blood-clotting process. - [Using Radioactive Antibodies to Find Tumors Inside the Body](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3927193/ivermectin) — A 1973 method for finding cancer tumors by injecting patients with radioactive antibodies that attach to tumor-specific proteins, allowing doctors to scan for their location. - [Targeting Bad Cells with Toxic Antibodies for Cancer and Autoimmune Disease](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20210205465/aberrant-cell-restricted-immunoglobulins-provided-with-a-toxic-moiety) — This patent describes special antibodies equipped with a toxic payload that specifically seek out and bind to unique markers on diseased cells, like cancer or autoimmune cells, to destroy them.