Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using a Chemical Tag
This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that recognize a chemical tag, which is attached to a small drug molecule, along with a separate folate compound.
Original patent title: “Compositions and methods for car t cell therapy”
This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that recognize a chemical tag, which is attached to a small drug molecule, along with a separate folate compound. Owned by Purdue Research Foundation with 21 claims and 1 forward citation, and it is expected to expire in 2043.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent outlines a three-step method to treat cancer. First, a patient receives a compound where a small drug molecule is connected to a "targeting moiety" (like a chemical tag) by a "linker" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1(i)). Second, the patient gets CAR T cells, which are engineered immune cells designed to specifically recognize and bind to this "targeting moiety" (Claim 1(ii)). Third, a "folate conjugate" is administered, which is a folate molecule linked to other parts, but importantly, this conjugate *does not* have the targeting moiety that the CAR T cells recognize (Claim 1(iii)). For example, if the targeting moiety is FITC (Claim 3), the CAR T cells would have an anti-FITC antibody part (Claim 12) to find and attack cells marked by the FITC-tagged compound.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover methods where the initial compound (small molecule ligand + linker + targeting moiety) is an antibody or an antibody fragment (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 11).
- Does not cover CAR T cell therapies where the CAR T cells directly target cancer cells without an intermediate targeting moiety.
- Does not cover methods where the administered folate conjugate also contains the specific targeting moiety that the CAR T cells are designed to recognize (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1(iii)).
- Does not cover methods that do not involve all three distinct administration steps: the compound, the CAR T cells, and the folate conjugate (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
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 the indirect targeting approach. Instead of engineering CAR T cells to directly attack cancer cells, this method uses a separate, small molecule compound to "tag" cancer cells. The CAR T cells then attack only those tagged cells, offering a potential way to fine-tune the therapy's activity and reduce off-target effects.
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
CAR T cell therapies for blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia
Potential future CAR T cell therapies for solid tumors
Immunotherapies using small molecule drug conjugates
Why it matters
The bigger picture
CAR T cell therapy is a powerful way to fight cancer, but it can sometimes cause severe side effects. This patent aims to improve the safety and control of CAR T cell treatments. By using a "targeting moiety" as an intermediate tag, doctors might be able to better control when and where the CAR T cells become active, potentially reducing harm to healthy tissues while still effectively attacking tumors.
Filed
October 25, 2023
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Purdue Research Foundation, as the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is actively involved in this research. Major players in the broader CAR T cell therapy space, such as Novartis, Kite Pharma (Gilead), Bristol Myers Squibb, and Johnson & Johnson, are continuously researching improvements in targeting, safety, and efficacy of such treatments.
Market impact
This type of research aims to expand the applicability of CAR T cell therapies, particularly for solid tumors where direct targeting has been challenging. If successful, it could lead to new generations of CAR T products with improved safety profiles and broader patient access, potentially reducing the severe side effects associated with current CAR T treatments.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent outlines a three-step method to treat cancer. First, a patient receives a compound where a small drug molecule is connected to a "targeting moiety" (like a chemical tag) by a "linker" (Claim 1(i)). Second, the patient gets CAR T cells, which are engineered immune cells designed to specifically recognize and bind to this "targeting moiety" (Claim 1(ii)). Third, a "folate conjugate" is administered, which is a folate molecule linked to other parts, but importantly, this conjugate *does not* have the targeting moiety that the CAR T cells recognize (Claim 1(iii)). For example, if the targeting moiety is FITC (Claim 3), the CAR T cells would have an anti-FITC antibody part (Claim 12) to find and attack cells marked by the FITC-tagged compound.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in the indirect targeting approach. Instead of engineering CAR T cells to directly attack cancer cells, this method uses a separate, small molecule compound to "tag" cancer cells. The CAR T cells then attack only those tagged cells, offering a potential way to fine-tune the therapy's activity and reduce off-target effects.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover methods where the initial compound (small molecule ligand + linker + targeting moiety) is an antibody or an antibody fragment (Claim 11).
- Does not cover CAR T cell therapies where the CAR T cells directly target cancer cells without an intermediate targeting moiety.
- Does not cover methods where the administered folate conjugate also contains the specific targeting moiety that the CAR T cells are designed to recognize (Claim 1(iii)).
- Does not cover methods that do not involve all three distinct administration steps: the compound, the CAR T cells, and the folate conjugate (Claim 1).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
14/20
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
$117K – $374K
Midpoint $234K · 17.1 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
21 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Leamon, C. P., WHEELER, I. L. W., Low, P. S., LU, Y. J., Lee, Y. G., & CHU, H. Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using a Chemical Tag (U.S. Patent No. 20,240,165,159). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20240165159/compositions-and-methods-for-car-t-cell-therapy
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 Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using a Chemical Tag cover?
This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that recognize a chemical tag, which is attached to a small drug molecule, along with a separate folate compound.
Who owns patent US 20240165159?
This patent is owned by Purdue Research Foundation.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 25, 2043, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 20240165159 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
CAR T cell therapy is a powerful way to fight cancer, but it can sometimes cause severe side effects. This patent aims to improve the safety and control of CAR T cell treatments. By using a "targeting moiety" as an intermediate tag, doctors might be able to better control when and where the CAR T cells become active, potentially reducing harm to healthy tissues while still effectively attacking tumors.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover methods where the initial compound (small molecule ligand + linker + targeting moiety) is an antibody or an antibody fragment (Claim 11).
Same assignee
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