{
  "patent_number": "US 8278036",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Modified RNA Tricks Cells Into Making Proteins Without Triggering Attacks",
  "original_title": "RNA containing modified nucleosides and methods of use thereof",
  "summary": "A breakthrough method for using modified RNA to deliver instructions to cells without causing the body to reject the treatment as a foreign invader.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a way to make synthetic RNA molecules that look and act like natural RNA so the body's immune system doesn't attack them. By replacing the standard building block uridine with a modified version called pseudouridine, the RNA avoids triggering the cell's internal alarm systems, such as Toll-like receptors. This allows the cell to read the RNA instructions and produce a specific protein, like erythropoietin, without the cell shutting down or releasing inflammatory cytokines. The method includes synthesizing this RNA in a lab and delivering it to cells, often inside protective lipid nanoparticles.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover naturally occurring RNA found in the body.",
    "Does not cover unmodified RNA that triggers a standard immune response.",
    "Does not cover DNA-based gene therapy or viral vector delivery systems that do not use the specified modified RNA.",
    "Does not claim the specific protein being encoded, only the method of using modified RNA to induce its production."
  ],
  "filed": "2006-08-21",
  "granted": "2012-10-02",
  "expires": "2026-08-21",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "University of Pennsylvania Penn",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/university-of-pennsylvania-penn",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Drew Weissman",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/drew-weissman"
    },
    {
      "name": "Katalin Kariko",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/katalin-kariko"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 322,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "pharmaceutical"
  ],
  "abstract": "This invention provides RNA, oligoribonucleotide, and polyribonucleotide molecules comprising pseudouridine or a modified nucleoside, gene therapy vectors comprising same, methods of synthesizing same, and methods for gene replacement, gene therapy, gene transcription silencing, and the delivery of therapeutic proteins to tissue in vivo, comprising the molecules. The present invention also provides methods of reducing the immunogenicity of RNA, oligoribonucleotide, and polyribonucleotide molecules.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8278036/rna-containing-modified-nucleosides-and-methods-of-use-thereof",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8278036/rna-containing-modified-nucleosides-and-methods-of-use-thereof/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US8278036",
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}