Orchid Biocomputer, Inc. today announced that it
has been awarded a key patent for a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
pharmacogenetics technology known as primer extension genotyping. The patent,
entitled "Method for Determining Nucleotide Identity through Primer Extension," US
Patent No. 5,888,819, gives affirms Orchid’sa dominant position over ownership of the
single-base primer extension method of genotyping. method.
This patent and related filings, many of which have been allowed, provide wide reaching
protection overwill require third parties to obtain a license if they intend to practice a range of
primer extension formats and SNP detection methods including; array-based genotyping, mass
spectrometry detection and multiplexing strategies necessary for high volume genotyping
applications.
In addition, this patent was the subject of an interference proceeding with Orion Pharmaceutical
of Finland, which was settled in Orchid’s favor. The settlement included an assignment of all
Orion US patent rights in this field to Orchid.
"Single base primer extension is the ideal solution to the industrial scale genotyping problem facing
the next stage of the Human Genome Project," said Dale Pfost, president and chief executive
officer of Orchid. "Additionally, it is extremely well suited to commercialization in the form of
research kits as well as diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic-coupled genotyping kits which
Orchid expects to introduce into the US market later this year," said Pfost.
Single-base primer extension, commercialized by Orchid under the name Genetic Bit Analysis or
GBAÒ , is a fundamental technology enabling the highly accurate analysis of genetic sequences
necessary for clinical and SNP association studies. With this success, primer extension is
replacing hybridization methods practiced by DNA chip companies. Single-base primer extension
had been validated as the standard method for clinical genotyping by Orchid several years ago.
The methodology has been adapted by Orchid for a wide variety of applications: drug
metabolism profiling, cardiovascular disease predisposition profiling, population screening for
clinical trials and large-scale polymorphism discovery and confirmation.
"Numerous groups have seen the advantages of the method in recent years and several
companies are moving toward commercialization of primer extension genotyping strategies," said
Michael Boyce-Jacino, Ph.D., vice president of genomics research and development of Orchid.
"With this expansion of our intellectual property base and patent priority dates reaching back to
early 1991, Orchid is ensured the dominantBecause of this patent, our pending applications and
our strong research and development efforts we believe we have a dominant position over all
commercially viable permutations of the methodology and will aggressively defend and maintain
this leadership. its preeminent patent position" |
