Mobious Genomics Receives US Sequencing Patents

Mobious Genomics Ltd has announced that it has received formal notice of grant from the United States Patent Office for a broad technology defining patent (US 6908736) covering real-time polynucleotide sequencing.

This patent outlines the use of modified polymerases to achieve direct molecular sensing of DNA base identity for real-time polynucleotide sequencing, without the use of engineered nucleotide triphosphates.

This patent was originally allowed by the US patent office during 2004, but then withdrawn for administrative reasons.

The patent has been subsequently re-examined and re-allowed and has now proceeded to grant.

The patent outlines, inter alia, the realisation of Mobious proprietary real-time approach in the fluorescent mode.

According to Daniel Densham, Managing Director of Mobious Genomics, “The processing of this patent has been more frustrating than most, but at least we have the comfort that further levels of examination have very probably made it more robust.”

“Although fluorescent detection schemes suffer a number of limitations at the single molecule level, they will reduce some aspects of experimental complexity and are becoming increasingly well known in the life science community.”

“A preferred embodiment within the patent just granted allows the polymerase to be “labeled” whilst the free nucleotide is unlabelled.”

“This provides a number of pretty clear incorporation advantages. In our view this technology is complementary to our label free platforms.”