Ryogen Is Awarded Patent for Polynucleotides Related to Tumor-Suppressing Subtransferable Candidate 4

This Patent Brings Ryogen’s Gene-Related Portfolio to 30 Issued U.S. Patents

Suffern, N.Y., June 24, 2014 − Ryogen LLC, a genomics R&D company focusing on polynucleotide sequences implicated in human diseases, was awarded a new patent, bringing the total number of U.S. Patents issued to Ryogen to 30.

U.S. Patent No. 8,722,865, titled “Isolated genomic polynucleotide fragments from p15 region of chromosome 11 encoding human tumor suppressing subtransferable candidate 4 (TSSC4),” is the first Ryogen patent to be issued after the seminal Myriad decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that clarified the patentability of genomic constructs.

The TSSC4 gene is one of several tumor-suppressing subtransferable fragments located on the important tumor-suppressor gene region of chromosome 11. Alterations in this region have been associated with lung, ovarian and breast cancers, as well as the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Wilms tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma and adrenocortical carcinoma.

The claims of the patent are directed to modified DNA and RNA polynucleotides, encoding TSSC4 activity, parts of them including non-coding regions and contiguous coding sequence, constructs, expression vectors and host cells, method to obtain TSSC4, compositions, kits, method of identifying the sequence or variants, using claimed sequences, and methods to isolate claimed polynucleotides.

“We are very pleased to receive this important patent. Uncertainty surrounding gene patents was lifted by the recent Supreme Court decision in Myriad,” said Valeria Poltorak, Ryogen’s Executive Vice President. “Now we can continue to license Ryogen’s intellectual property to the research and business communities involved in biomedical and pharmaceutical developments,” she concluded.

In addition to 30 issued patents, the company’s IP portfolio includes a number of patent applications in different stages of prosecution at the U.S. Patent Office. Ryogen’s issued patents and patent applications are directed to sequences that play important roles in cancer, diabetes and obesity, hepatitis C, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and other diseases. The complete list of issued patents is available at the Patents page of Ryogen’s website.

About IP Holdings LLC

IP Holdings LLC, also based in Suffern, N.Y., is an IP-centric merchant banking organization that provides IP‐related financial services, intellectual asset consulting and advisory services, and patent brokerage services. Ryogen is a portfolio company of an idea incubator operated by IP Holdings. For additional information, visit www.ip-holdings.com.

About General Patent Corporation

General Patent Corporation, headquartered in Suffern, N.Y., is a leading intellectual property (IP) boutique focusing on patent monetization through patent enforcement and licensing. GPC is the managing member of Ryogen LLC. For more information, visit www.generalpatent.com.