Expression Pathology’s Liquid Tissue Patent Issues in Japan
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Expression Pathology Inc. announced that the Japan Patent Office has issued patent number 4579234 which covers methods for preparing tissue for protein analysis, including the company’s proprietary Liquid Tissue® sample preparation methodology.
The claims of the patent are directed to tissue processing methods that enable discovery and accurate measurement of protein biomarkers in standard formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue by mass spectrometry and other methods.
Formalin fixation is the standard process used worldwide to preserve biopsies and surgical tissue, but it limits the ability to accurately measure and study proteins and changes in protein pathways in cancers and other diseases. Liquid Tissue® sample preparation produces a solution that is representative of the total protein content of an FFPE sample, enabling application of powerful mass spectrometry techniques to proteomic profiling and targeted quantitation of proteins and protein activation, such as phosphorylation.
“This is an important milestone for our company”, says Casey Eitner, President and CEO of Expression Pathology. “Accurate multiplex protein assays that can be run on standard FFPE tissue are part of the future of personalized medicine. We are combining our technologies with latest developments in mass spectrometry to develop assays that can simultaneously measure the key targets in tumor signaling networks associated with specific prognostic and drug treatment decisions. The Japanese patent extends protection for our technology to one of the world’s most important medical and scientific markets”.
Expression Pathology is represented by AMR Inc. in Japan. Mr. Yasuhiko Bando, Chief Strategic Officer at AMR says: “We provide novel proteomic and biomarker analysis platforms including sample preparation and LC/MS systems for clinical samples. The products and assays based on the Liquid Tissue patent are of great interest to clinical and medical fields in Japan. We are already collaborating with several leading institutions in Japan, including Tokyo Medical University, Tohoku University and National Cancer Center, who are using Liquid Tissue® technology in leading edge research. With this technology we are now able to provide a seamless solution for the analysis of clinical tissue samples.”
The claims of the patent are directed to tissue processing methods that enable discovery and accurate measurement of protein biomarkers in standard formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue by mass spectrometry and other methods.
Formalin fixation is the standard process used worldwide to preserve biopsies and surgical tissue, but it limits the ability to accurately measure and study proteins and changes in protein pathways in cancers and other diseases. Liquid Tissue® sample preparation produces a solution that is representative of the total protein content of an FFPE sample, enabling application of powerful mass spectrometry techniques to proteomic profiling and targeted quantitation of proteins and protein activation, such as phosphorylation.
“This is an important milestone for our company”, says Casey Eitner, President and CEO of Expression Pathology. “Accurate multiplex protein assays that can be run on standard FFPE tissue are part of the future of personalized medicine. We are combining our technologies with latest developments in mass spectrometry to develop assays that can simultaneously measure the key targets in tumor signaling networks associated with specific prognostic and drug treatment decisions. The Japanese patent extends protection for our technology to one of the world’s most important medical and scientific markets”.
Expression Pathology is represented by AMR Inc. in Japan. Mr. Yasuhiko Bando, Chief Strategic Officer at AMR says: “We provide novel proteomic and biomarker analysis platforms including sample preparation and LC/MS systems for clinical samples. The products and assays based on the Liquid Tissue patent are of great interest to clinical and medical fields in Japan. We are already collaborating with several leading institutions in Japan, including Tokyo Medical University, Tohoku University and National Cancer Center, who are using Liquid Tissue® technology in leading edge research. With this technology we are now able to provide a seamless solution for the analysis of clinical tissue samples.”
