Ciphergen Announces Issuance of Key Patents for SELDI Technology and Protein Expression Profiling
Thursday June 26, 4:15 pm ET
FREMONT, Calif., June 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CIPH - News) announced today the issuance of two key patents directed to its core technologies -- European Patent Number EP 0 700 521 B1, directed to Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization (SELDI) technology; and United States Patent 6,579,719, directed to protein expression profiling using SELDI.
The European patent is directed to devices, instruments and methods for SELDI technology, Ciphergen's proprietary process involving affinity capture of analytes on a ProteinChip® probe or array, followed by analyte detection by laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. This patent covers Ciphergen's core ProteinChip® technology, including ProteinChip systems and arrays, as well as the SELDI process itself. Ciphergen holds an exclusive license to the technology, owned by Baylor College of Medicine, for use in all markets and applications.
The U.S. patent is directed to methods for protein expression profiling using the SELDI technology. These methods involve capturing proteins in samples using different chromatographic surfaces and detecting them using laser desorption mass spectrometry. The patent covers the use of Ciphergen's protein Expression Difference Mapping(TM) processes and products. Ciphergen is the sole owner of this patent.
"The issuance of these patents represents an important milestone in the protection of Ciphergen's intellectual property," said William E. Rich, President and CEO of Ciphergen. "Ciphergen has always believed that SELDI is a breakthrough, enabling technology for proteomics. The European patent secures our rights to our core SELDI technology in Europe, and the U.S. patent supplements our basic U.S. patents with coverage for the most important ProteinChip technology application -- protein expression profiling -- which is at the heart of protein biomarker discovery. These patents will help Ciphergen provide our customers with powerful capabilities for protein biomarker discovery, validation, purification, ID and assay, further enhanced by recent product introductions which address new protein interaction applications."
About Ciphergen
Ciphergen develops, manufactures and markets a family of ProteinChip® Systems and services for clinical, research and process proteomics applications, as well as a broad range of bioseparations media for protein purification through its BioSepra process chromatography division. ProteinChip Systems and Biomarker Discovery Center® collaborative services enable protein discovery, profiling, characterization and assay development to provide researchers with predictive analysis capabilities and a better understanding of biological functions at the protein level. ProteinChip Systems are enabling tools in the emerging field of protein-based biology research, known as proteomics. Proteomics provides a direct approach to understanding the role of proteins in the biology of disease, monitoring disease progression and evaluating the therapeutic effects and side effects of drugs. Ciphergen believes proteomics will be a major focus of biological research by enhancing the understanding of gene function and the molecular basis of disease. Additional information about Ciphergen can be found at www.ciphergen.com. |
