A Custom-Built Protein to Block TGF-beta Signaling in Disease
A laboratory-engineered protein designed to soak up excess TGF-beta molecules, which could help treat conditions like cancer and fibrosis where these signals are overactive.
Original patent title: “USRE49280E1 - TGFbeta type II-type III receptor fusions”
A laboratory-engineered protein designed to soak up excess TGF-beta molecules, which could help treat conditions like cancer and fibrosis where these signals are overactive. Granted to University of Texas System in 2022 with 46 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a synthetic protein called RER, which is a fusion of parts from two different human receptors: TGF-beta type II and type III. By stitching these together into a heterotrimeric structure, the protein acts like a molecular sponge that binds to all three isoforms of TGF-beta with high affinity. Because it specifically targets TGF-beta, it can neutralize these signals without interfering with other related growth factors like BMPs or activins. In practice, this could be injected into a patient to clear out harmful, excess TGF-beta signaling that drives tumor growth or tissue scarring.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover naturally occurring TGF-beta receptors found in the human body.
- Does not cover fusion proteins that bind to other TGF-beta superfamily members like BMPs or activins.
- Does not cover general protein engineering techniques that do not result in the specific RER heterotrimeric structure.
- Does not cover therapeutic methods that do not rely on 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 →.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in combining the ectodomains of two distinct receptors into a single, stable heterotrimeric fusion that achieves high-affinity binding to all three TGF-beta isoforms simultaneously, a feat that single-receptor approaches struggle to match.
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
Experimental cancer therapies targeting the tumor microenvironment
Anti-fibrotic research treatments for organ scarring
Why it matters
The bigger picture
TGF-beta is a major signaling protein involved in both healthy tissue repair and dangerous disease progression. By creating a highly specific 'sink' for this protein, researchers aim to stop diseases like cancer and fibrosis at the source. This is a significant step in developing targeted biological therapies that avoid the broad side effects of systemic drugs.
Filed
March 28, 2013
Granted
November 8, 2022
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The University of Texas System holds the rights to this technology. Research in this space is primarily driven by academic institutions and biotech firms focused on protein-based therapeutics and cytokine-targeted drug discovery.
Market impact
This patent provides a foundation for developing specialized protein therapeutics that could eventually compete with or complement existing antibody-based therapies for fibrosis and oncology. It establishes a specific design blueprint for multi-domain receptor fusions in the TGF-beta pathway.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a synthetic protein called RER, which is a fusion of parts from two different human receptors: TGF-beta type II and type III. By stitching these together into a heterotrimeric structure, the protein acts like a molecular sponge that binds to all three isoforms of TGF-beta with high affinity. Because it specifically targets TGF-beta, it can neutralize these signals without interfering with other related growth factors like BMPs or activins. In practice, this could be injected into a patient to clear out harmful, excess TGF-beta signaling that drives tumor growth or tissue scarring.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in combining the ectodomains of two distinct receptors into a single, stable heterotrimeric fusion that achieves high-affinity binding to all three TGF-beta isoforms simultaneously, a feat that single-receptor approaches struggle to match.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover naturally occurring TGF-beta receptors found in the human body.
- Does not cover fusion proteins that bind to other TGF-beta superfamily members like BMPs or activins.
- Does not cover general protein engineering techniques that do not result in the specific RER heterotrimeric structure.
- Does not cover therapeutic methods that do not rely on the specific amino acid sequences defined in the claims.
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
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 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
$50K – $161K
Midpoint $101K · 6.8 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
46 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Zwieb, C., Hinck, A., & Sun, L. (2022). A Custom-Built Protein to Block TGF-beta Signaling in Disease (U.S. Patent No. RE49,280). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE49280/smart-ring-health-tracker
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 A Custom-Built Protein to Block TGF-beta Signaling in Disease cover?
A laboratory-engineered protein designed to soak up excess TGF-beta molecules, which could help treat conditions like cancer and fibrosis where these signals are overactive.
Who owns patent US RE49280?
University of Texas System owns this patent, granted in 2022.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on November 8, 2042, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
TGF-beta is a major signaling protein involved in both healthy tissue repair and dangerous disease progression. By creating a highly specific 'sink' for this protein, researchers aim to stop diseases like cancer and fibrosis at the source. This is a significant step in developing targeted biological therapies that avoid the broad side effects of systemic drugs.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover naturally occurring TGF-beta receptors found in the human body.
Patent monitoring