{
  "patent_number": "US 6458360",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How to Create Lab-Made Proteins That Stop Immune System Overreaction",
  "original_title": "Soluble complement regulatory molecules",
  "summary": "A method for creating custom proteins that act as 'brakes' for the body's immune system to prevent damage from excessive inflammation.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a way to build a custom, soluble protein that can float through the bloodstream and block the complement system. The complement system is a part of the immune system that normally kills bacteria, but it can sometimes go haywire and attack healthy tissue, causing severe inflammation. The invention works by taking specific fragments of natural proteins—called short consensus repeats (SCRs)—that act like magnets for harmful immune signals. These fragments are then attached to a carrier molecule, such as an antibody or serum albumin, which helps the construct stay stable in the blood long enough to neutralize the threat.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover naturally occurring complement regulatory proteins found in the body.",
    "Does not cover constructs that lack a soluble, physiologically-acceptable carrier molecule.",
    "Does not cover molecules that contain only a single binding site, as the claims require at least two.",
    "Does not cover non-protein based inhibitors or chemical small-molecule drugs."
  ],
  "filed": "1991-04-04",
  "granted": "2002-10-01",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Johns Hopkins University",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/johns-hopkins-university",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Douglas T. Fearon",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/douglas-t-fearon"
    },
    {
      "name": "Thomas Hebell",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/thomas-hebell"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 27,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "pharmaceutical"
  ],
  "abstract": "This invention is directed to a soluble recombinant fused protein which is stable in the mammalian circulatory system comprising a polypeptide which contains a recognition site for a target molecule, such as a complement receptor site, and is joined to the N-terminal end of an immunoglobulin chain. The invention is also directed to a construct comprising a plurality of peptides containing short consensus repeats having a complement binding site attached to a soluble, physiologically compatible, macromolecular carrier. The invention is particularly useful for inhibiting complement activation or complement-dependent cellular activation in mammals.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6458360/hpv-vaccine-gardasil",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6458360/hpv-vaccine-gardasil/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US6458360",
  "relatedPatents": []
}