Using Insect Cells to Create Antibodies for Human Diseases
A method for creating disease-fighting antibodies by using insect cells to display human proteins, which are then injected into animals to trigger an immune response.
Original patent title: “Method for generation of antibodies to cell surface molecules”
A method for creating disease-fighting antibodies by using insect cells to display human proteins, which are then injected into animals to trigger an immune response. Granted to Cetus Oncology Corp in 1995 with 19 claims and 25 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way to make antibodies against specific proteins found on the surface of human cells. Instead of using complex human cells to produce these proteins for immunization, the inventors use insect cells. They insert DNA into insect cells, which then force the insects to display the human protein on their outer surface. These insect cells are injected into a host animal, like a mouse, which produces antibodies against the human protein. Finally, the researchers screen these antibodies using human cells to ensure they work correctly in a human biological context.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover the use of mammalian or bacterial cells to express the target antigen for immunization.
- Does not cover the production of antibodies using synthetic peptides or purified protein fragments that are not displayed on a cell surface.
- Does not cover the use of non-baculoviral vectors for transfecting the insect cells.
- Does not cover therapeutic methods or the clinical administration of the resulting antibodies to human patients.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The inventors realized that insect cells could correctly fold and display complex human membrane proteins that often fail to express properly in other laboratory cell systems, providing a more natural 'shape' for the animal's immune system to recognize.
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
Development of monoclonal antibodies for immunology research
Targeting CD40 receptors in cancer immunotherapy studies
Screening for surface markers on peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This method solved a major problem in the early 1990s: how to get the immune system to recognize human proteins that are difficult to produce in large quantities. By using insect cells as a factory, researchers could generate high-quality antibodies against difficult targets like CD40, which are vital for studying immune system signaling and developing targeted therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Filed
July 9, 1992
Granted
March 14, 1995
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
This technology is a foundational technique used by major biopharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations that specialize in protein expression. It is frequently employed by firms developing therapeutic antibodies for oncology and inflammatory diseases, where precise protein folding is critical for drug efficacy.
Market impact
This patent helped standardize the use of baculovirus-insect cell systems in antibody discovery pipelines. It enabled researchers to reliably generate antibodies against challenging cell-surface targets, accelerating the development of the monoclonal antibody market which now dominates modern drug development.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way to make antibodies against specific proteins found on the surface of human cells. Instead of using complex human cells to produce these proteins for immunization, the inventors use insect cells. They insert DNA into insect cells, which then force the insects to display the human protein on their outer surface. These insect cells are injected into a host animal, like a mouse, which produces antibodies against the human protein. Finally, the researchers screen these antibodies using human cells to ensure they work correctly in a human biological context.
The clever bit
The inventors realized that insect cells could correctly fold and display complex human membrane proteins that often fail to express properly in other laboratory cell systems, providing a more natural 'shape' for the animal's immune system to recognize.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover the use of mammalian or bacterial cells to express the target antigen for immunization.
- Does not cover the production of antibodies using synthetic peptides or purified protein fragments that are not displayed on a cell surface.
- Does not cover the use of non-baculoviral vectors for transfecting the insect cells.
- Does not cover therapeutic methods or the clinical administration of the resulting antibodies to human patients.
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
28/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
13/20
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
$66K – $211K
Midpoint $132K · 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
19 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Conroy, L. B., & Boer, M. D. (1995). Using Insect Cells to Create Antibodies for Human Diseases (U.S. Patent No. 5,397,703). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5397703/hepatitis-c-virus-genome-discovery
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 Insect Cells to Create Antibodies for Human Diseases cover?
A method for creating disease-fighting antibodies by using insect cells to display human proteins, which are then injected into animals to trigger an immune response.
Who owns patent US 5397703?
Cetus Oncology Corp owns this patent, granted in 1995.
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 5397703 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 25 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This method solved a major problem in the early 1990s: how to get the immune system to recognize human proteins that are difficult to produce in large quantities. By using insect cells as a factory, researchers could generate high-quality antibodies against difficult targets like CD40, which are vital for studying immune system signaling and developing targeted therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover the use of mammalian or bacterial cells to express the target antigen for immunization.
Patent monitoring