How Genentech Created Antibodies to Stop Tumor Growth
A 1997 patent describing a specific humanized antibody designed to block VEGF, a protein that helps tumors grow their own blood supply.
Original patent title: “Anti-VEGF antibodies”
A 1997 patent describing a specific humanized antibody designed to block VEGF, a protein that helps tumors grow their own blood supply. Granted to Genentech Inc in 2005 with 15 claims and 308 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes the genetic blueprints for a specialized antibody that targets Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). By binding to VEGF, the antibody prevents it from signaling endothelial cells to multiply, effectively starving tumors of the blood supply they need to expand. The patent specifically claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → the DNA sequences required to produce these humanized antibodies, which are designed to be less likely to trigger an immune rejection in human patients compared to purely mouse-derived versions.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover all possible anti-VEGF antibodies, only those containing the specific amino acid sequences defined in the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →.
- Does not cover methods of treating specific diseases, as the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → focus on the nucleic acids and the production process.
- Does not cover naturally occurring antibodies found in non-human animals.
- Does not cover generic antibody production techniques that do not utilize these specific sequences.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The inventors successfully 'humanized' a mouse antibody by grafting its specific antigen-binding loops (CDRs) onto a human antibody framework, maintaining high binding affinity while minimizing the risk of the patient's immune system attacking the drug itself.
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
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is a cornerstone of modern anti-angiogenic therapy. It provided the intellectual property foundation for Avastin (bevacizumab), one of the most commercially successful and clinically significant cancer drugs in history. It changed how we treat metastatic cancers by shifting focus from killing tumor cells directly to cutting off their life support.
Filed
August 6, 1997
Granted
April 26, 2005
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Genentech, now a member of the Roche Group, remains the primary entity associated with this technology. The success of this patent paved the way for a generation of monoclonal antibody therapies, influencing how companies like Regeneron and Novartis approach targeted protein inhibition.
Market impact
This patent helped establish the multi-billion dollar anti-angiogenic drug market. It triggered a wave of research into VEGF-related pathways, leading to the development of treatments for not just cancer, but also age-related macular degeneration and other conditions driven by abnormal blood vessel growth.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes the genetic blueprints for a specialized antibody that targets Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). By binding to VEGF, the antibody prevents it from signaling endothelial cells to multiply, effectively starving tumors of the blood supply they need to expand. The patent specifically claims the DNA sequences required to produce these humanized antibodies, which are designed to be less likely to trigger an immune rejection in human patients compared to purely mouse-derived versions.
The clever bit
The inventors successfully 'humanized' a mouse antibody by grafting its specific antigen-binding loops (CDRs) onto a human antibody framework, maintaining high binding affinity while minimizing the risk of the patient's immune system attacking the drug itself.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover all possible anti-VEGF antibodies, only those containing the specific amino acid sequences defined in the claims.
- Does not cover methods of treating specific diseases, as the claims focus on the nucleic acids and the production process.
- Does not cover naturally occurring antibodies found in non-human animals.
- Does not cover generic antibody production techniques that do not utilize these specific sequences.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
10/20
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
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
$135K – $432K
Midpoint $270K · 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
15 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Baca, M., & Wells, J. A. (2005). How Genentech Created Antibodies to Stop Tumor Growth (U.S. Patent No. 6,884,879). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6884879/anti-vegf-antibodies
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 How Genentech Created Antibodies to Stop Tumor Growth cover?
A 1997 patent describing a specific humanized antibody designed to block VEGF, a protein that helps tumors grow their own blood supply.
Who owns patent US 6884879?
Genentech Inc owns this patent, granted in 2005.
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 6884879 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 308 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is a cornerstone of modern anti-angiogenic therapy. It provided the intellectual property foundation for Avastin (bevacizumab), one of the most commercially successful and clinically significant cancer drugs in history. It changed how we treat metastatic cancers by shifting focus from killing tumor cells directly to cutting off their life support.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover all possible anti-VEGF antibodies, only those containing the specific amino acid sequences defined in the claims.
Same assignee
More from Genentech Inc
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