{
  "patent_number": "US 5574018",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Using Vitamin B12 to Help Proteins Survive the Human Digestive System",
  "original_title": "Conjugates of vitamin B12 and proteins",
  "summary": "A method for attaching therapeutic proteins to Vitamin B12 so they can be absorbed through the gut instead of being injected.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a chemical trick to help large, fragile therapeutic proteins survive the harsh environment of the human stomach and intestines. By covalently linking a protein—like erythropoietin or interferon—to the primary hydroxyl site of a Vitamin B12 molecule, the drug hitches a ride on the body's natural B12 absorption pathway. The patent claims specific chemical formulas for these conjugates and a method for synthesizing them using dicarboxylic acid derivatives. When taken orally, the B12 acts as a transport vehicle, potentially allowing patients to take pills instead of receiving painful injections.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover the use of Vitamin B12 as a standalone nutritional supplement.",
    "Does not cover non-covalent mixtures or simple physical blends of protein and B12.",
    "Does not cover conjugation methods that attach to parts of the B12 molecule other than the primary 5'-hydroxyl group on the ribose moiety.",
    "Does not cover protein delivery systems that rely on liposomes or nanoparticle encapsulation."
  ],
  "filed": "1994-07-29",
  "granted": "1996-11-12",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Amgen Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/amgen-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Alan D. Habberfield",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/alan-d-habberfield"
    },
    {
      "name": "Colin G. Pitt",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/colin-g-pitt"
    },
    {
      "name": "Olaf B. Kinstler",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/olaf-b-kinstler"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 46,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "pharmaceutical"
  ],
  "abstract": "Therapeutically useful proteins are conjugated to vitamin B 12 by covalent binding at the primary hydroxyl site of the ribose moiety. The resulting conjugates are biologically active and can be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for delivery by various routes of administration, preferably oral. Uptake in the gut following oral delivery is further enhanced by the co-administration of purified intrinsic factor.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5574018/herceptin-trastuzumab",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5574018/herceptin-trastuzumab/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US5574018",
  "relatedPatents": []
}