Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using Small Molecule 'Flags'
This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that are trained to find a specific 'flag' molecule, and then also giving them a drug molecule attached to that same 'flag' in varying amounts or forms.
Original patent title: “Methods and compositions for car t cell therapy”
This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that are trained to find a specific 'flag' molecule, and then also giving them a drug molecule attached to that same 'flag' in varying amounts or forms. Owned by Purdue Research Foundation with 42 claims, and it is expected to expire in 2044.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a method for treating cancer by combining CAR T cell therapy with targeted drug delivery. First, a patient receives CAR T cells, which are engineered immune cells designed to recognize a specific 'targeting moiety' (a molecular tag). Then, the patient receives a compound that consists of a 'small molecule ligand' (a drug-like molecule) linked to that same 'targeting moiety' by a 'linker'. The key innovation involves administering this compound in either different doses (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) or as different versions of the compound (different 'conjugates') (ClaimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → 2 and 3). For example, a patient might receive CAR T cells that recognize a folate-based targeting moiety, and then receive different doses of a folate-linked small molecule drug to direct the CAR T cells to cancer cells.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- CAR T cell therapies that target natural antigens on cancer cells without the use of an externally administered small molecule conjugate.
- Small molecule drug delivery systems that do not involve CAR T cells specifically directed to the small molecule's targeting moiety.
- Administering the small molecule ligand linked to a targeting moiety in a single, unchanging dose, or as only one type of conjugate.
- CAR T cells that are not specifically engineered to recognize the same targeting moiety as the administered small molecule conjugate.
- Methods where the small molecule ligand is not linked to a targeting moiety by a linker, as described in the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →.
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 coordinated approach: engineering CAR T cells to recognize a specific molecular 'flag' and then using a small molecule drug attached to that exact 'flag' to guide the CAR T cells to the cancer. The ability to vary the dose or type of this 'flagged' drug allows for fine-tuning the 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
CAR T cell therapies for blood cancers (e.g., Kymriah, Yescarta)
Targeted drug delivery systems using small molecules like folate to deliver chemotherapy
Experimental cancer treatments combining immunotherapy with targeted agents
Why it matters
The bigger picture
CAR T cell therapy is a powerful new way to fight cancer, but it can sometimes cause severe side effects or struggle to find all cancer cells. This patent aims to make CAR T cell therapy more precise and potentially more effective by guiding the immune cells to cancer cells using a specially designed 'flag' molecule. By controlling the doses or types of these 'flag' molecules, doctors might be able to better manage the treatment and its effects.
Filed
October 14, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Novartis, Kite Pharma (Gilead), Bristol Myers Squibb, and Johnson & Johnson are major players in the CAR T cell therapy space, constantly researching ways to improve targeting and reduce toxicity. 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 developing and licensing technologies in targeted drug delivery and cancer therapeutics, often collaborating with pharmaceutical companies and startups.
Market impact
This patent addresses a critical challenge in CAR T cell therapy: improving specificity and reducing off-target effects. If successful, this approach could expand the types of cancers treatable with CAR T cells, particularly solid tumors, which have been harder to target. It could also lead to new drug-device combinations or treatment protocols, potentially influencing how CAR T cell therapies are designed and administered in the future, creating new market opportunities for targeted therapeutics.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a method for treating cancer by combining CAR T cell therapy with targeted drug delivery. First, a patient receives CAR T cells, which are engineered immune cells designed to recognize a specific 'targeting moiety' (a molecular tag). Then, the patient receives a compound that consists of a 'small molecule ligand' (a drug-like molecule) linked to that same 'targeting moiety' by a 'linker'. The key innovation involves administering this compound in either different doses (Claim 1) or as different versions of the compound (different 'conjugates') (Claims 2 and 3). For example, a patient might receive CAR T cells that recognize a folate-based targeting moiety, and then receive different doses of a folate-linked small molecule drug to direct the CAR T cells to cancer cells.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in the coordinated approach: engineering CAR T cells to recognize a specific molecular 'flag' and then using a small molecule drug attached to that exact 'flag' to guide the CAR T cells to the cancer. The ability to vary the dose or type of this 'flagged' drug allows for fine-tuning the immune response.
What it does not cover
- CAR T cell therapies that target natural antigens on cancer cells without the use of an externally administered small molecule conjugate.
- Small molecule drug delivery systems that do not involve CAR T cells specifically directed to the small molecule's targeting moiety.
- Administering the small molecule ligand linked to a targeting moiety in a single, unchanging dose, or as only one type of conjugate.
- CAR T cells that are not specifically engineered to recognize the same targeting moiety as the administered small molecule conjugate.
- Methods where the small molecule ligand is not linked to a targeting moiety by a linker, as described in the claims.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
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
$72K – $230K
Midpoint $144K · 18.1 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
42 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
Low, P. S., Lee, Y. G., & CHU, H. Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using Small Molecule 'Flags' (U.S. Patent No. 20,250,171,803). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20250171803/methods-and-compositions-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 Small Molecule 'Flags' cover?
This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that are trained to find a specific 'flag' molecule, and then also giving them a drug molecule attached to that same 'flag' in varying amounts or forms.
Who owns patent US 20250171803?
This patent is owned by Purdue Research Foundation.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 14, 2044, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
CAR T cell therapy is a powerful new way to fight cancer, but it can sometimes cause severe side effects or struggle to find all cancer cells. This patent aims to make CAR T cell therapy more precise and potentially more effective by guiding the immune cells to cancer cells using a specially designed 'flag' molecule. By controlling the doses or types of these 'flag' molecules, doctors might be able to better manage the treatment and its effects.
What does this patent NOT cover?
CAR T cell therapies that target natural antigens on cancer cells without the use of an externally administered small molecule conjugate.
Same assignee
More from Purdue Research Foundation
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