Targeted Genetics Corporation has announced the issuance of another patent related to the Company's leading adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology platform. U.S. patent #6,897,045, titled "Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors," was issued to the University of Iowa Research Foundation and is exclusively licensed to Targeted Genetics.
The patent covers the use of two AAV vectors to deliver DNA sequences that, once inside a cell, are used to produce or regulate a single protein. This approach allows AAV vectors to be used to deliver genes and their regulatory sequences that ordinarily would be too large to fit inside a single vector, expanding the potential applications of AAV-based gene delivery.
"We believe that the combined attributes of persistent expression and a good safety profile make AAV vectors the vector of choice in the gene-transfer treatment of a wide variety of chronic diseases and for the development of viral vaccines," said Barrie J. Carter, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Targeted Genetics. "To date we have been able to address the size constraint of AAV vectors for our product development programs by utilizing small promoter elements or by modifying DNA sequences to reduce their size without affecting the protein that ultimately is produced. While these approaches can be applied to some genes, the technology covered by this patent significantly expands the potential application of AAV vectors by providing a more flexible method to deliver genes and their associated regulatory elements that are larger than the normal carrying capacity of these vectors."