Innovation Timeline
Gene Editing
CRISPR-Cas9, zinc finger nucleases, base editing — the IP behind precision medicine's most powerful tools.
Landmark patents
21
Total citations
19,867
Span
1983 – 2023
Milestones
5
1980s
Making Hybrid Antibodies from Different Animals
This patent describes how to create new, engineered antibodies by combining parts of antibodies from two different animal species, then growing them in a lab.
8,214 citations
How to Make Human Erythropoietin (EPO) Using Engineered DNA
This patent describes the specific DNA sequences and methods to engineer cells to produce erythropoietin (EPO), a protein vital for red blood cell production, outside the human body.
346 citations
How to Make Many Copies of a Specific DNA Segment
This patent describes the fundamental three-step process for making millions of copies of a specific piece of DNA using short starter molecules and an enzyme, a technique known as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
7,558 citations
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
2,132 citations
Using Synthetic DNA Fragments to Block HIV Replication
A 1987 patent describing a specific synthetic DNA molecule designed to stop the HIV virus from replicating by blocking a key part of its genetic code.
26 citations
2010s
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
1,268 citations
How Genetically Modified T-Cells Attack Cancer
This patent describes how human T cells are genetically engineered to express a special receptor (CAR) that specifically targets and kills cancer cells, particularly those with the CD19 marker, offering a new way to treat cancer.
65 citations
How Genetically Modified T-Cells Fight CD19 Cancers
This patent describes how to create and use genetically modified human T cells that target and kill cancer cells expressing the CD19 protein, offering a new way to treat blood cancers.
37 citations
How an mRNA Vaccine for Lung Cancer Teaches the Immune System to Fight
This patent describes a specific mRNA vaccine designed to treat lung cancer by instructing the body's cells to produce six distinct tumor proteins, thereby training the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
80 citations
How an mRNA Vaccine Targets Prostate Cancer with Six Antigens
This patent describes an mRNA vaccine designed to treat prostate cancer by delivering genetic instructions for a specific combination of six prostate-related proteins, teaching the body to fight the cancer.
84 citations
How CRISPR-Cas9 Uses RNA to Edit DNA
This patent describes the fundamental mechanism of using a two-part RNA system to guide the Cas9 protein to specific locations in DNA for precise editing.
49 citations
Predicting and Treating Dangerous Side Effects in CAR T-Cell Therapy
This patent describes methods to identify patients at high risk for severe side effects, like cytokine release syndrome or neurotoxicity, during CAR T-cell cancer therapy and how to treat them proactively.
Delivering Large Gene Editing Tools into Cells with Hybrid Virus-Lipid Packages
This patent describes a sophisticated delivery system that combines parts of a virus with a fat bubble (liposome) to efficiently transport large molecules, like CRISPR gene-editing components, into specific cells.
How a Specific Protein Fragment Can Train Immune Cells to Fight Cancer
This patent describes methods to fight various cancers by using a specific protein fragment (peptide LYHDIFSRL) to train a patient's immune cells to recognize and attack tumor cells.
4 citations
How to Design High-Quality Gene Editing Tools for a Whole Genome
This patent describes a computer system and method for creating a comprehensive library of gene-editing guides (sgRNAs) by carefully designing and filtering them to be accurate and avoid unintended genetic changes.
1 citation
2020s
Targeting Bad Cells with Toxic Antibodies for Cancer and Autoimmune Disease
This patent describes special antibodies equipped with a toxic payload that specifically seek out and bind to unique markers on diseased cells, like cancer or autoimmune cells, to destroy them.
Boosting Plant Gene Editing and Regeneration with Special Genes
This patent describes a method to make plant genetic engineering more efficient by adding specific genes that encourage plant cells to divide and grow, making it easier to create new plants with desired traits.
1 citation
How to Make Animals That Can Turn On CRISPR Gene Editing
This patent describes creating genetically modified non-human animals, like mice, where a key CRISPR gene-editing protein (Cas9) can be turned on only in specific cells or at specific times using a special genetic switch.
How Special Molecules Boost Cancer-Fighting CAR-T Cells
This patent describes special molecules made of a CAR-T cell activator attached to a fat-like part, designed to make cancer-fighting CAR-T cells grow and work better inside a patient.
2 citations
How to Precisely Edit Genes Using Retron-Guide RNA Cassettes
This patent describes a method for highly efficient and precise genome editing using a retron-guide RNA cassette to deliver large pieces of donor DNA into a cell's genetic material.
Treating Liver Cancer with Specially Trained Immune Cells
This patent describes a method for treating hepatocellular cancer by giving patients specially activated immune cells that are trained to recognize and kill cancer cells displaying a specific protein fragment.