How Engineered Antibodies Block Inflammation-Causing Proteins
A patent describing lab-made antibodies designed to hunt down and neutralize a specific protein called TNF-alpha that causes chronic inflammation in the body.
Original patent title: “Recombinant A2-specific TNFα specific antibodies”
A patent describing lab-made antibodies designed to hunt down and neutralize a specific protein called TNF-alpha that causes chronic inflammation in the body. Granted to Centocor Inc in 2006 with 28 claims and 77 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent covers specific recombinant antibodies engineered to bind to human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha is a protein that acts like an alarm bell for the immune system, but when it stays on too long, it causes diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's. The patent claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → antibodies that mimic the binding behavior of a specific reference antibody called A2. By attaching to TNF-alpha, these antibodies prevent the protein from triggering the inflammatory response in cells. The claims specify that these antibodies must have a human constant region to be better tolerated by the human immune system and must meet a high threshold of binding strength, measured by a Scatchard analysis.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover antibodies that bind to TNF-alpha but do not compete with the A2 reference antibody.
- Does not cover natural, non-recombinant antibodies found in living organisms.
- Does not cover therapeutic methods that use small molecule drugs instead of antibody-based proteins.
- Does not cover antibodies that fail to meet the specific binding affinity threshold of 1x10^8 liter/mole.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in creating a chimeric or humanized antibody that retains the high-affinity binding of a mouse-derived antibody (A2) while incorporating human protein sequences to avoid triggering an immune attack against 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
Infliximab (Remicade)
Monoclonal antibody therapies for autoimmune diseases
Biologic drugs targeting TNF-alpha
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology is central to the development of biologic drugs, which have transformed the treatment of autoimmune diseases. By using recombinant DNA technology to create humanized antibodies, researchers were able to create treatments that the human body does not immediately reject. This patent relates to the lineage of therapies like Remicade (infliximab), which revolutionized how doctors manage conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Filed
July 18, 2002
Granted
July 4, 2006
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Centocor, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, was the primary driver of this technology. Today, many pharmaceutical companies like AbbVie, Amgen, and Novartis continue to build on the foundation of anti-TNF therapy, exploring new ways to refine antibody binding and reduce side effects.
Market impact
This patent helped define the blockbuster biologic drug market. It provided a clear intellectual property path for companies to develop and protect highly effective, high-cost therapies that shifted the standard of care for chronic inflammatory conditions away from generic immunosuppressants.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent covers specific recombinant antibodies engineered to bind to human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha is a protein that acts like an alarm bell for the immune system, but when it stays on too long, it causes diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's. The patent claims antibodies that mimic the binding behavior of a specific reference antibody called A2. By attaching to TNF-alpha, these antibodies prevent the protein from triggering the inflammatory response in cells. The claims specify that these antibodies must have a human constant region to be better tolerated by the human immune system and must meet a high threshold of binding strength, measured by a Scatchard analysis.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in creating a chimeric or humanized antibody that retains the high-affinity binding of a mouse-derived antibody (A2) while incorporating human protein sequences to avoid triggering an immune attack against the drug itself.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover antibodies that bind to TNF-alpha but do not compete with the A2 reference antibody.
- Does not cover natural, non-recombinant antibodies found in living organisms.
- Does not cover therapeutic methods that use small molecule drugs instead of antibody-based proteins.
- Does not cover antibodies that fail to meet the specific binding affinity threshold of 1x10^8 liter/mole.
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
38/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
19/20
Very broad protection
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
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
$132K – $421K
Midpoint $263K · 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
28 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Daddona, P., Le, J., Vilcek, J., Ghrayeb, J., Knight, D., & Siegel, S. (2006). How Engineered Antibodies Block Inflammation-Causing Proteins (U.S. Patent No. 7,070,775). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7070775/humira-formulation
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 Engineered Antibodies Block Inflammation-Causing Proteins cover?
A patent describing lab-made antibodies designed to hunt down and neutralize a specific protein called TNF-alpha that causes chronic inflammation in the body.
Who owns patent US 7070775?
Centocor Inc owns this patent, granted in 2006.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 4, 2026, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 7070775 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 77 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology is central to the development of biologic drugs, which have transformed the treatment of autoimmune diseases. By using recombinant DNA technology to create humanized antibodies, researchers were able to create treatments that the human body does not immediately reject. This patent relates to the lineage of therapies like Remicade (infliximab), which revolutionized how doctors manage conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover antibodies that bind to TNF-alpha but do not compete with the A2 reference antibody.
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