Key U.S. Patent Issues on Expression Pathology’s Liquid Tissue® Technology

Expression Pathology Inc. (EPI) has announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued patent number 7,473,532, which covers methods for preparing tissue for protein analysis, including EPI’s proprietary Liquid Tissue® sample preparation methodology.

The claims of the patent are directed to methods that enable discovery and measurement of protein biomarkers in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue.

Formalin fixation is the standard process used worldwide to preserve patient biopsies and surgical tissue, but it limits the ability to analyze protein expression by advanced methodologies such as mass spectrometry. Liquid Tissue® sample preparation produces a soluble lysate that is representative of the entire protein content of a FFPE tissue sample. This makes it possible to use mass spectrometry for global proteomic profiling and targeted quantitation of specific proteins.

Expression Pathology offers this technology in protein biomarker discovery collaborations and contract assay services, and is developing personalized diagnostic assays to guide cancer drug selection and patient treatment decisions.

“This is a key patent in our intellectual property portfolio and helps establish our leadership in the field of tissue proteomics”, says Casey Eitner, the company’s President and CEO.

“The ability to identify, in preserved and archived tissue collections, proteins associated with specific clinical outcomes, and to accurately measure those proteins in the standard form of tissue used throughout medical practice will have a huge positive impact on patient care,” Eitner said.