Diagnosing Brain Diseases by Measuring a Protein in Blood or Urine
This patent describes a method for diagnosing brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by measuring the amount of a specific protein called beta-synuclein in non-spinal fluid samples such as blood or urine.
Original patent title: “Novel Diagnostic Marker for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Alzheimer's Disease”
This patent describes a method for diagnosing brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by measuring the amount of a specific protein called beta-synuclein in non-spinal fluid samples such as blood or urine. Owned by Individual with 16 claims and 2 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2040.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way to diagnose diseases linked to brain cell connection breakdown, known as synaptic degeneration, by measuring the concentration of a protein called beta-synuclein in a patient's sample (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). Importantly, the method specifically covers samples that are not cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), preferring samples like blood, serum, urine, saliva, or plasma (ClaimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → 2, 3). The method is performed outside the body, or 'ex vivo' (Claim 4). It can be used to diagnose or assess the status of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, traumatic brain injury, or stroke (Claim 5). For example, a doctor could take a blood serum sample from a patient, use a technique like quantitative mass spectrometry or single-molecule arrays (Simoa) to measure beta-synuclein (Claims 7, 10), and then compare the level to a specific cut-off value, such as 10 pg/ml for Alzheimer's or 39.8 pg/ml for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, to help make a diagnosis (Claims 8, 9).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover diagnostic methods that rely solely on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples.
- Does not cover diagnostic tests performed directly inside a living human or animal body.
- Does not cover using other biomarkers besides beta-synuclein for diagnosing these specific diseases.
- Does not cover methods of *treating* the diseases, only diagnosing, assessing, or monitoring their progression.
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 beta-synuclein as a specific biomarker for synaptic degeneration diseases and, crucially, demonstrating its utility in easily obtainable, non-cerebrospinal fluid samples like blood or urine. This moves away from more invasive diagnostic methods.
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
Blood tests for early Alzheimer's detection
Diagnostic panels for neurodegenerative disorders
Research tools for monitoring disease progression in clinical trials
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease early and accurately is a major challenge. Current diagnostic methods often involve invasive procedures, such as spinal taps to collect cerebrospinal fluid. This patent offers a less invasive approach by using more accessible samples like blood, which could make early detection and monitoring easier for patients and doctors.
Filed
August 12, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies and research institutions focused on neurodegenerative disease diagnostics are actively exploring and building upon less invasive biomarker detection methods. Major diagnostic companies like Roche, Quest Diagnostics, and academic research centers are continuously developing and validating new blood-based tests for conditions like Alzheimer's, aiming to improve early detection and patient management.
Market impact
The development of non-invasive diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative diseases could significantly change how these conditions are identified and managed. By enabling earlier and more frequent testing, such methods could facilitate earlier intervention, improve patient outcomes, and accelerate drug development by providing better ways to monitor treatment effectiveness. This could lead to a new category of routine screening tests for brain health.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way to diagnose diseases linked to brain cell connection breakdown, known as synaptic degeneration, by measuring the concentration of a protein called beta-synuclein in a patient's sample (Claim 1). Importantly, the method specifically covers samples that are not cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), preferring samples like blood, serum, urine, saliva, or plasma (Claims 2, 3). The method is performed outside the body, or 'ex vivo' (Claim 4). It can be used to diagnose or assess the status of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, traumatic brain injury, or stroke (Claim 5). For example, a doctor could take a blood serum sample from a patient, use a technique like quantitative mass spectrometry or single-molecule arrays (Simoa) to measure beta-synuclein (Claims 7, 10), and then compare the level to a specific cut-off value, such as 10 pg/ml for Alzheimer's or 39.8 pg/ml for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, to help make a diagnosis (Claims 8, 9).
The clever bit
The novelty lies in identifying beta-synuclein as a specific biomarker for synaptic degeneration diseases and, crucially, demonstrating its utility in easily obtainable, non-cerebrospinal fluid samples like blood or urine. This moves away from more invasive diagnostic methods.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover diagnostic methods that rely solely on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples.
- Does not cover diagnostic tests performed directly inside a living human or animal body.
- Does not cover using other biomarkers besides beta-synuclein for diagnosing these specific diseases.
- Does not cover methods of *treating* the diseases, only diagnosing, assessing, or monitoring their progression.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
11/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 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
$59K – $187K
Midpoint $117K · 13.9 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
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
16 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Otto, M., Öckl, P., & Halbgebauer, S. Diagnosing Brain Diseases by Measuring a Protein in Blood or Urine (U.S. Patent No. 20,220,283,184). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20220283184/novel-diagnostic-marker-for-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-and-alzheimers-disease
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 Diagnosing Brain Diseases by Measuring a Protein in Blood or Urine cover?
This patent describes a method for diagnosing brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by measuring the amount of a specific protein called beta-synuclein in non-spinal fluid samples such as blood or urine.
Who owns patent US 20220283184?
This patent is owned by Individual.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on August 12, 2040, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 20220283184 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease early and accurately is a major challenge. Current diagnostic methods often involve invasive procedures, such as spinal taps to collect cerebrospinal fluid. This patent offers a less invasive approach by using more accessible samples like blood, which could make early detection and monitoring easier for patients and doctors.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover diagnostic methods that rely solely on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples.
Same assignee
More from Individual
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