Chemical Compounds for Fighting Bacterial and Yeast Infections
A 1977 patent for a specific class of amino-phosphonous acid chemicals designed to act as antibiotics against bacteria and yeast.
Original patent title: “α-Amino-phosphonous acids for inhibiting bacteria and yeast”
A 1977 patent for a specific class of amino-phosphonous acid chemicals designed to act as antibiotics against bacteria and yeast. Granted to Ciba Geigy Corp in 1979 with 13 claims and 17 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a group of chemical compounds known as alpha-amino-phosphonous acids. These molecules are structured to interfere with the biological processes of pathogenic bacteria and yeast. By administering these compounds, either orally or through injection, the patent claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → a method for treating microbial infections in mammals. The chemical structure relies on a specific arrangement where an amino group and a phosphonous acid group are attached to the same carbon atom, with various side chains (R and R1) attached to modify the molecule's properties.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover compounds where both R and R1 are hydrogen atoms.
- Does not cover non-amino-phosphonous acid structures.
- Does not cover the treatment of viral or parasitic infections.
- Does not cover naturally occurring amino acids that lack the phosphonous acid group.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the use of the phosphonous acid group as a mimic for the carboxylic acid group found in natural amino acids, allowing the molecule to potentially 'trick' bacterial enzymes into binding with it instead of their normal substrates.
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
Experimental antibacterial pharmaceutical formulations
Synthetic amino acid analogs used in biochemical research
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent represents a period in pharmaceutical history where researchers were actively exploring synthetic analogs of natural amino acids to disrupt bacterial metabolism. It highlights the development of phosphorus-containing compounds as potential therapeutic agents, a field that has seen ongoing interest in medicinal chemistry for creating enzyme inhibitors.
Filed
May 23, 1977
Granted
April 3, 1979
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The core chemistry of phosphorus-based amino acid analogs is studied by academic medicinal chemistry labs and pharmaceutical companies focused on enzyme inhibitors. While Ciba-Geigy (now part of Novartis) held this original work, modern drug discovery continues to utilize phosphonous acid scaffolds for targeted antimicrobial and anticancer research.
Market impact
This patent contributed to the body of knowledge regarding phosphorus-based medicinal chemistry. It helped establish the utility of phosphonous acids as bioisosteres (chemical mimics) for carboxylic acids, a concept that remains a standard tool in modern drug design for improving metabolic stability and binding affinity.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a group of chemical compounds known as alpha-amino-phosphonous acids. These molecules are structured to interfere with the biological processes of pathogenic bacteria and yeast. By administering these compounds, either orally or through injection, the patent claims a method for treating microbial infections in mammals. The chemical structure relies on a specific arrangement where an amino group and a phosphonous acid group are attached to the same carbon atom, with various side chains (R and R1) attached to modify the molecule's properties.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the use of the phosphonous acid group as a mimic for the carboxylic acid group found in natural amino acids, allowing the molecule to potentially 'trick' bacterial enzymes into binding with it instead of their normal substrates.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover compounds where both R and R1 are hydrogen atoms.
- Does not cover non-amino-phosphonous acid structures.
- Does not cover the treatment of viral or parasitic infections.
- Does not cover naturally occurring amino acids that lack the phosphonous acid group.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
25/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
9/20
Moderate scope
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
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
$34K – $108K
Midpoint $68K · expired or expiring · 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.
The original legal language
Original claims
13 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Baylis, E. K., Dingwall, J. G., & Campbell, C. D. (1979). Chemical Compounds for Fighting Bacterial and Yeast Infections (U.S. Patent No. 4,147,780). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4147780/timoptic-timolol
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 Chemical Compounds for Fighting Bacterial and Yeast Infections cover?
A 1977 patent for a specific class of amino-phosphonous acid chemicals designed to act as antibiotics against bacteria and yeast.
Who owns patent US 4147780?
Ciba Geigy Corp owns this patent, granted in 1979.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 4147780 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 17 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent represents a period in pharmaceutical history where researchers were actively exploring synthetic analogs of natural amino acids to disrupt bacterial metabolism. It highlights the development of phosphorus-containing compounds as potential therapeutic agents, a field that has seen ongoing interest in medicinal chemistry for creating enzyme inhibitors.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover compounds where both R and R1 are hydrogen atoms.
Same assignee
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