Using Genetically Modified Viruses to Target and Treat Cancer
A method for creating a modified vaccinia virus that safely hunts down and kills tumor cells while leaving healthy tissue alone.
Original patent title: “Microorganisms for therapy”
A method for creating a modified vaccinia virus that safely hunts down and kills tumor cells while leaving healthy tissue alone. Granted to Genelux Corp in 2016 with 15 claims and 15 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a modified vaccinia virus engineered to act as a precision cancer treatment. By disabling three specific genetic components—the thymidine kinase (TK) gene, the hemagglutinin (HA) gene, and the F3 locus—the virus loses its ability to replicate efficiently in healthy cells but thrives in the environment of a tumor. The researchers can also insert extra genetic instructions into these modified sites to force the virus to produce therapeutic proteins, such as antibodies or transporters, directly inside the cancer site. This allows the virus to serve as both a delivery vehicle and a factory for anti-cancer drugs.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover unmodified, wild-type vaccinia viruses found in nature.
- Does not cover gene therapies that do not utilize the specific triple-inactivation (TK, HA, and F3) described.
- Does not cover viral therapies that replicate equally well in healthy and cancerous tissues.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the triple-knockout strategy; by inactivating the F3 locus alongside the standard TK and HA genes, the researchers achieved a specific safety profile that prevents the virus from causing widespread systemic toxicity while maintaining its ability to home in on immunoprivileged tumor environments.
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
Genelux Corporation's GL-ONC1 therapeutic candidate
Oncolytic viral therapy clinical trials
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology represents a significant step in oncolytic virotherapy, an approach that turns viruses into allies against cancer. By making the virus safer for the patient, it allows for systemic administration rather than direct injection into a tumor. This is a core component of Genelux Corporation's pipeline for developing targeted cancer therapeutics.
Filed
June 11, 2014
Granted
November 15, 2016
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Genelux Corporation is the primary developer of this specific platform. The broader field of oncolytic virotherapy is also being advanced by companies like Amgen, which markets the FDA-approved T-VEC, and various academic research centers focused on synthetic biology and viral vectors.
Market impact
This patent helped formalize the methodology for creating multi-gene deleted oncolytic viruses. It provided a clear intellectual property framework for companies attempting to balance viral potency with patient safety, influencing the design of subsequent clinical-stage viral vectors.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a modified vaccinia virus engineered to act as a precision cancer treatment. By disabling three specific genetic components—the thymidine kinase (TK) gene, the hemagglutinin (HA) gene, and the F3 locus—the virus loses its ability to replicate efficiently in healthy cells but thrives in the environment of a tumor. The researchers can also insert extra genetic instructions into these modified sites to force the virus to produce therapeutic proteins, such as antibodies or transporters, directly inside the cancer site. This allows the virus to serve as both a delivery vehicle and a factory for anti-cancer drugs.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the triple-knockout strategy; by inactivating the F3 locus alongside the standard TK and HA genes, the researchers achieved a specific safety profile that prevents the virus from causing widespread systemic toxicity while maintaining its ability to home in on immunoprivileged tumor environments.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover unmodified, wild-type vaccinia viruses found in nature.
- Does not cover gene therapies that do not utilize the specific triple-inactivation (TK, HA, and F3) described.
- Does not cover viral therapies that replicate equally well in healthy and cancerous tissues.
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
24/40
Moderately 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
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
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
$180K – $576K
Midpoint $360K · 8.0 yr remaining · 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
Szalay, A. A., Zhang, Q., Timiryasova, T., & Yu, Y. A. (2016). Using Genetically Modified Viruses to Target and Treat Cancer (U.S. Patent No. 9,492,534). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9492534/yescarta-axicabtagene-ciloleucel
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 Using Genetically Modified Viruses to Target and Treat Cancer cover?
A method for creating a modified vaccinia virus that safely hunts down and kills tumor cells while leaving healthy tissue alone.
Who owns patent US 9492534?
Genelux Corp owns this patent, granted in 2016.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on November 15, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9492534 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 15 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology represents a significant step in oncolytic virotherapy, an approach that turns viruses into allies against cancer. By making the virus safer for the patient, it allows for systemic administration rather than direct injection into a tumor. This is a core component of Genelux Corporation's pipeline for developing targeted cancer therapeutics.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover unmodified, wild-type vaccinia viruses found in nature.
Patent monitoring