Using Specific Immune Cells to Fight Cancers Like Lung and Breast Cancer
This patent describes a method to treat specific cancers, including lung, breast, and ovarian cancer, by giving patients their own immune cells (T cells) that have been trained to recognize and destroy cancer cells presenting a unique protein fragment.
Original patent title: “Peptides and combination of peptides for use in immunotherapy against various tumors”
This patent describes a method to treat specific cancers, including lung, breast, and ovarian cancer, by giving patients their own immune cells (T cells) that have been trained to recognize and destroy cancer cells presenting a unique protein fragment. Granted to Immatics Biotechnologies in 2022 with 22 claims and 8 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2041.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a way to treat certain cancers by boosting a patient's own immune system. Specifically, it involves giving a patient a group of "activated T cells" (a type of white blood cell) that are specially trained to kill cancer cells (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). These T cells target cancer cells that display a particular protein fragment, or "peptide," with the amino acid sequence TLHDQVHLL (SEQ ID NO: 264) on their surface. The patent lists various cancers that can be treated this way, such as non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma (Claim 1). The T cells are activated outside the body by showing them this specific peptide attached to a "MHC class I molecule" on another cell, which teaches them what to look for (Claim 2). For example, a doctor might take a patient's T cells, train them in a lab to recognize the TLHDQVHLL peptide, and then infuse these super-charged T cells back into the patient to fight their specific cancer.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Treating cancers that do not present the specific peptide TLHDQVHLL (SEQ ID NO: 264) on their cell surface.
- Immunotherapy methods that do not involve administering activated T cells (e.g., traditional chemotherapy or radiation).
- Activating T cells inside the body without first contacting them with an antigen-presenting cell expressing the peptide with an MHC class I molecule outside the body, as described in ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 2.
- Using different peptides or protein fragments to identify and target cancer cells.
- Treating cancer types not explicitly listed in ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, such as colon cancer or pancreatic cancer.
- Methods that use antibodies or soluble T-cell receptors as the primary therapeutic agent, rather than activated T cells.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in identifying a very specific nine-amino-acid peptide, TLHDQVHLL (SEQ ID NO: 264), that is presented by certain cancer cells and can be used to specifically train and activate T cells to target and kill those cancer cells. This precise targeting mechanism allows for a highly focused immune response.
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) therapy for solid tumors
Adoptive cell therapy for non-small cell lung cancer
Immunotherapies targeting specific tumor antigens
Immatics' clinical programs for various cancers
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is significant in the field of cancer immunotherapy, which aims to harness the body's immune system to fight cancer. By identifying specific "tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes," like TLHDQVHLL, it provides a precise target for immune cells. This approach can lead to highly targeted therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers, potentially reducing side effects compared to broader treatments. Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a company focused on developing T-cell receptor (TCR) based immunotherapies for various solid tumors.
Filed
July 23, 2021
Granted
August 9, 2022
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) based immunotherapies for various solid tumors, including those mentioned in the patent. Other companies in the broader T-cell therapy space, such as Kite Pharma (a Gilead Company) and Novartis, are also working on different forms of adoptive T-cell therapies, though perhaps not with this exact peptide target. The field is seeing significant investment and research from both established pharmaceutical companies and specialized biotech startups.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the growing market for targeted cancer immunotherapies. By defining a specific peptide target and a method for T-cell activation, it helps to advance the development of highly precise treatments for solid tumors, which are often challenging to treat with existing immunotherapies. The focus on specific tumor-associated peptides enables the creation of therapies that aim to minimize harm to healthy tissues, a key differentiator in the oncology market.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a way to treat certain cancers by boosting a patient's own immune system. Specifically, it involves giving a patient a group of "activated T cells" (a type of white blood cell) that are specially trained to kill cancer cells (Claim 1). These T cells target cancer cells that display a particular protein fragment, or "peptide," with the amino acid sequence TLHDQVHLL (SEQ ID NO: 264) on their surface. The patent lists various cancers that can be treated this way, such as non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma (Claim 1). The T cells are activated outside the body by showing them this specific peptide attached to a "MHC class I molecule" on another cell, which teaches them what to look for (Claim 2). For example, a doctor might take a patient's T cells, train them in a lab to recognize the TLHDQVHLL peptide, and then infuse these super-charged T cells back into the patient to fight their specific cancer.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in identifying a very specific nine-amino-acid peptide, TLHDQVHLL (SEQ ID NO: 264), that is presented by certain cancer cells and can be used to specifically train and activate T cells to target and kill those cancer cells. This precise targeting mechanism allows for a highly focused immune response.
What it does not cover
- Treating cancers that do not present the specific peptide TLHDQVHLL (SEQ ID NO: 264) on their cell surface.
- Immunotherapy methods that do not involve administering activated T cells (e.g., traditional chemotherapy or radiation).
- Activating T cells inside the body without first contacting them with an antigen-presenting cell expressing the peptide with an MHC class I molecule outside the body, as described in Claim 2.
- Using different peptides or protein fragments to identify and target cancer cells.
- Treating cancer types not explicitly listed in Claim 1, such as colon cancer or pancreatic cancer.
- Methods that use antibodies or soluble T-cell receptors as the primary therapeutic agent, rather than activated T cells.
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
Moderate
Citation count
19/40
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
20/20
Granted within 5 years
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
$281K – $899K
Midpoint $562K · 14.9 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.
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., Singh, H., MAHR, A., STEVERMANN, L., Weinschenk, T., & FRITSCHE, J. (2022). Using Specific Immune Cells to Fight Cancers Like Lung and Breast Cancer (U.S. Patent No. 11,407,807). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11407807/peptides-and-combination-of-peptides-for-use-in-immunotherapy-against-various-tu
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 Using Specific Immune Cells to Fight Cancers Like Lung and Breast Cancer cover?
This patent describes a method to treat specific cancers, including lung, breast, and ovarian cancer, by giving patients their own immune cells (T cells) that have been trained to recognize and destroy cancer cells presenting a unique protein fragment.
Who owns patent US 11407807?
Immatics Biotechnologies owns this patent, granted in 2022.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 23, 2041, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11407807 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 8 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is significant in the field of cancer immunotherapy, which aims to harness the body's immune system to fight cancer. By identifying specific "tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes," like TLHDQVHLL, it provides a precise target for immune cells. This approach can lead to highly targeted therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers, potentially reducing side effects compared to broader treatments. Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, the assignee, is a company focused on developing T-cell receptor (TCR) based immunotherapies for various solid tumors.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Treating cancers that do not present the specific peptide TLHDQVHLL (SEQ ID NO: 264) on their cell surface.
Same assignee
More from Immatics Biotechnologies
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