Copernicus Receives Issued U.S. Patent For In Vivo Use of High Efficiency Gene Therapy Vector in Humans.Business Editors, Health & Medical Writers CLEVELAND--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 17, 2002 Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. Patent Office has issued Episomal Vector for Human Gene Therapy, US Patent Number 6,339,065. Mark J. Cooper, M.D., Senior Vice President of Science and Medical Affairs said, "This non-viral expression vector expression vector n. A vector, such as a plasmid, yeast, or animal virus genome, used to introduce foreign genetic material into a host cell in order to replicate and amplify the foreign DNA sequences as a recombinant molecule. was designed to express therapeutic genes at very high levels in cancer patients. Since inadequate levels of gene expression likely limit the success of cancer gene therapy clinical trials, this vector may significantly improve the modest results generally observed. This episomal plasmid safely replicates in the nucleus of cancer cells, thereby enhancing expression levels of potential therapeutic agents due to gene amplification Gene amplification The process by which a cell specifically increases the copy number of a particular gene to a greater extent than it increases the copy number of genes composing the remainder of the genome (all the genes which make up the genetic machinery . The episomal expression vector can be used in conjunction with liposome liposome (lī`pəsōm', lĭp`ə–), microscopic, fluid-filled pouch whose walls are made of layers of phospholipids identical to the phospholipids that make up cell membranes. preparations or formulated as condensed con·dense v. con·densed, con·dens·ing, con·dens·es v.tr. 1. To reduce the volume or compass of. 2. To make more concise; abridge or shorten. 3. Physics a. DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. particles using Copernicus' gene transfer technologies. This patent provides very broad coverage for use of this high efficiency expression vector in patients with cancer." "Copernicus has established a very broad and enabling position in the field of gene therapy," said Robert C. Moen, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Copernicus. "Our intellectual property positions us uniquely in this field. Given the dangers inherent with viral vectors, our technology enables us to access the favorable aspects of viral vectors while providing the safety and pharmaceutical qualities inherent in non-viral gene delivery systems. This patent covers use of our episomal expression vector in humans, and fits nicely with our core gene transfer and targeting technologies. We expect to broadly partner this effective gene transfer platform with other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing cancer therapeutics, or who wish to use this expression vector for gene discovery and genomics applications." Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc. is advancing novel targeting and delivery systems with broad applications in human therapeutics and vaccines. Copernicus' technologies include a multi-component delivery platform that can be applied to nucleic acids Nucleic acids The cellular molecules DNA and RNA that act as coded instructions for the production of proteins and are copied for transmission of inherited traits. to develop therapies for a variety of human diseases and a targeting platform enabling the efficient uptake of drugs by specific cells and tissues. The Company's targeting and delivery platforms are complementary and can be combined to enhance the efficacy and safety of existing drugs or to create novel therapeutics. |
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