How to Detect Heart Disease in Cats Using Blood Tests
A diagnostic method that uses specific antibodies to measure a protein in cat blood, helping veterinarians identify heart disease.
Original patent title: “Determining feline proBNP”
A diagnostic method that uses specific antibodies to measure a protein in cat blood, helping veterinarians identify heart disease. Granted to Antibody Lab GmbH in 2017 with 4 claims and 7 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a laboratory test to measure the concentration of a protein called NT-proBNP in a cat's blood. The process uses two specific types of antibodies, each designed to lock onto a unique part of the NT-proBNP protein sequence. By binding these antibodies to the protein in a blood sample, the test can quantify how much of the protein is present. If the concentration is higher than what is found in a healthy cat, it serves as a biomarker to indicate the presence of heart disease.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover diagnostic methods for species other than cats (e.g., humans or dogs).
- Does not cover the use of monoclonal antibodies; it is limited to the specific polyclonal antibodies described.
- Does not cover testing methods that use different amino acid sequences for the antibodies.
- Does not cover the treatment of heart disease, only the diagnostic measurement.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in identifying two specific, highly reactive peptide sequences (SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO:9) that act as reliable targets for antibodies, ensuring the test accurately captures the feline NT-proBNP protein without interference.
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
Veterinary diagnostic blood panels for feline cardiac health
IDEXX Laboratories feline NT-proBNP tests
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Heart disease is a common and often silent killer in cats. This diagnostic tool provides a standardized, objective way for veterinarians to screen for cardiac issues before physical symptoms become severe, allowing for earlier medical intervention.
Filed
February 27, 2009
Granted
March 28, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like IDEXX Laboratories and various veterinary diagnostic firms utilize these types of biomarker assays. The patent is held by Antibody Lab GmbH, which focuses on the development of specialized diagnostic reagents.
Market impact
This technology helped standardize the use of NT-proBNP as a primary biomarker in feline cardiology. It enabled the development of commercial diagnostic kits that are now standard practice in veterinary clinics for assessing cardiac risk in cats.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a laboratory test to measure the concentration of a protein called NT-proBNP in a cat's blood. The process uses two specific types of antibodies, each designed to lock onto a unique part of the NT-proBNP protein sequence. By binding these antibodies to the protein in a blood sample, the test can quantify how much of the protein is present. If the concentration is higher than what is found in a healthy cat, it serves as a biomarker to indicate the presence of heart disease.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in identifying two specific, highly reactive peptide sequences (SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO:9) that act as reliable targets for antibodies, ensuring the test accurately captures the feline NT-proBNP protein without interference.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover diagnostic methods for species other than cats (e.g., humans or dogs).
- Does not cover the use of monoclonal antibodies; it is limited to the specific polyclonal antibodies described.
- Does not cover testing methods that use different amino acid sequences for the antibodies.
- Does not cover the treatment of heart disease, only the diagnostic measurement.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
18/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
3/20
Narrow 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
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
$46K – $147K
Midpoint $92K · 2.7 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
4 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Hawa, G., & Woloszczuk, W. (2017). How to Detect Heart Disease in Cats Using Blood Tests (U.S. Patent No. 9,605,068). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9605068/dupixent-dupilumab
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 to Detect Heart Disease in Cats Using Blood Tests cover?
A diagnostic method that uses specific antibodies to measure a protein in cat blood, helping veterinarians identify heart disease.
Who owns patent US 9605068?
Antibody Lab GmbH owns this patent, granted in 2017.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 28, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9605068 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 7 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Heart disease is a common and often silent killer in cats. This diagnostic tool provides a standardized, objective way for veterinarians to screen for cardiac issues before physical symptoms become severe, allowing for earlier medical intervention.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover diagnostic methods for species other than cats (e.g., humans or dogs).
Patent monitoring