Recent Patents on Biotechnology

Algae is emerging as a bioresource with high biological potential. Various algal strains have been used in traditional medicines and human diets worldwide. They are a rich source of bioactive compounds like ascorbic acid, riboflavin, pantothenate, biotin, folic acid, nicotinic acid, phycocyanins, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), adrenic acid (ARA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), etc. Beta-carotene, astaxanthin, and phycobiliproteins are different classes of pigments that are found in algae...

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral respiratory disease that is associated with severe damage to other human organs. It causes by a novel coronavirus, and it is spreading all over the world. To date, there is some approved vaccine or therapeutic agent which could be effective against this disease. But their effectiveness against mutated strains is not studied completely. The spike glycoprotein on the surface of the coronaviruses gives the virus the ability to bind to host cell receptors and enter cells...

BACKGROUND: The ora-pro-nóbis (Pereskia aculeata Mill.) is a plant from Brazilian biodiversity used for food and medicinal purposes. It has ample technological potential, however, it is still underutilized, being classified as a Non-Conventional Food Plant (PANC). Prospective studies in intellectual property banks make it possible to expand perspectives for scientific research, enhancing the generation of new products. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the patents of products containing Pereskia aculeata Mill...

BACKGROUND: Citrus cultivar improvement via conventional breeding strategies is impeded by factors related to its reproductive biology. The orange is a hybrid between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata). Among various orange cultivars, Valencia oranges have a bit of bitter tang mixed in with their sweetness, as Navel oranges are, the most widely cultivated citrus species, quite sweeter, and also don't contain any seeds. Tangelo mandarin orange cultivar is a hybrid of C...

AIM: Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus Reverse transcriptase (MMLV RT) is a common enzyme used to convert RNA sequences into cDNA. However, it still has its shortcomings, especially in terms of processivity and thermostability. Meanwhile, the fusion of a polymerase enzyme to an archaeal DNA-binding protein is predicted to improve its thermostability and processivity. INTRODUCTION: As an early stage of enzyme development, this study aimed to design, express, and purify enzymatically active MMLV RT fused with archaeal DNA-binding protein...

BACKGROUND: Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) is botanically classified as a herbaceous biennial belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family and has several varieties with bulb colors ranging from yellow to red. Peroxidases are widely occurring in organisms including microorganisms, plants, and animals, and have been involved in various physiological and biochemical functions. OBJECTIVE: The study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of enzyme extracts from red beet leaves, root pulp, and peel...

BACKGROUND: Artemia is considered an indispensable live food for rearing many fish and crustacean larvae and can be used in toxicity tests as a safe, practical, and economical method. It is straightforward to create and manipulate; however, many cysts do not hatch as expected. METHODS: A new device was used to hatch Artemia salina. The device includes a tubular-shaped reservoir, lid with a central hole, heater with a thermostat, air compressor, three porous stones, funnel-shaped bottom, light source, collection valve, switch, and electrical outlet, which permits better control of temperature and aeration in a single apparatus...

BACKGROUND: Biosurfactants are natural bioactive compounds produced from fungi, bacteria and plants. These molecules have several properties that enable them to be involved in various industrial applications. The surface-active properties of biosurfactants allow their use in various sectors, such as agriculture, health, cosmetics, bioremediation/petroleum, mining, and bioprocess. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the patents deposited in intellectual property databases for applications of biosurfactants in the areas of agriculture, health, cosmetics, bioremediation/petroleum, mining, and bioprocesses, with the research period consisting of the last six years...

Despite an ever-increasing need for newer, safer, more effective, and more affordable therapies to treat a multitude of diseases and conditions, drug development takes too long, costs too much, and is too uncertain to be undertaken without the conferment of exclusionary rights or entry barriers to motivate and sustain investment in it. These entry barriers take the form of patents that protect intellectual property and marketing exclusivity provisions that are provided by statute. This review focuses on the basic ins and outs of regulatory and patent exclusivities for which new chemical entities (NCEs), referring to never-before approved drugs with an entirely new active ingredient, are eligible and uses RRx-001, a small molecule aerospace-derived NCE in development for the treatment of cancer, radiation toxicity, and diseases of the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, as a "real world" example...

BACKGROUND: Levothyroxine Sodium is a thyroid hormone replacement therapy for Hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine Sodium is approved to treat Hypothyroidisim, to suppress thyroid hormone release from cancerous thyroid nodules, and to prevent the growth of goiters. In addition, it is also used to treat conditions such as myxedema, cretinism, and obesity. OBJECTIVE: This assessment highlights the overview of the recent patents of Levothyroxine Sodium. This review includes patents grouped in sections like product patents, process patents, and composition-related patents, along with the treatment methodology...

Proteases that perform keratin hydrolysis (keratinases) have great potential in biotechnology. After investigation, the next step to an industrial application is protecting intellectual property by patenting. There are many fields of discovered keratinase implementation dictated by features of the molecule and its producer. This article provides an overview of existing patents on keratinases. Among the patents found using terms related to 'keratinase,' only those that contain data on the structure and features of the enzyme to provide a sufficient overview of the current situation are covered...

INTRODUCTIONS: As global awareness regarding climate change and environmental pollution outcomes arise, eco-friendly and negative emission technologies emerge. METHOD: In this scenario, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-accumulating microorganisms play an important role in the transition from the petrochemical-based non-biodegradable polymer to renewable, eco-friendly, and biocompatible materials. More specifically, CO2 can be converted to biopolymers through photosynthesis by cyanobacteria and algae, posing as a promising technology for renewable material, CO2, and petroleum-dependence mitigations...

BACKGROUND: Interest in natural pigments has grown due to the negative aspects caused by synthetic options, which trigger damage to the body and the environment. Research with natural pigments produced by microorganisms becomes viable in relation to other pigments extracted from animals or plants, as microorganisms have advantages in terms of versatility and productivity. Thus, production technologies are protected by patents. METHOD: To evaluate the evolution of research and technological development on producing natural pigments by different microorganisms through scientific and technological prospection...

BACKGROUND: The use of Lactobacillus probiotics may confer beneficial effects on an individual's health, such as the ability to act against fungi of the genus Candida. There are about 200 species of those yeasts, and they can develop candidiasis infections, which affect about 75% of adult women. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to raise articles that investigated the potential action of several Lactobacillus strains in front of Candida species. METHOD: For this review, 15 articles, published between 2015 and 2020, were studied...

The world is on the cusp of a post-antibiotic period. A century ago, before the advent of antibiotics, bacteriophage therapy was the treatment of choice for bacterial infections. Although bacteriophages have yet to be approved as a treatment in Western medicine, researchers and clinicians have begun to anticipate phage therapy. Bacteriophages are viruses that depend on bacterial cell metabolism to multiply. They offer a promising alternative to the use of antibiotics, and an excellent antibacterial option for combating multidrug resistance in bacteria...

BACKGROUND: Rubella, caused by the Rubella virus (RV), is considered a mild self-limited illness. However, RV has teratogenic potential. Laboratory investigation plays an important role in both diagnosis and surveillance of the disease. The main methods for diagnosing rubella are serological assays for the detection of specific IgM and molecular assays for detecting viral RNA. However, some laboratories perform IgG avidity testing, virus isolation and analysis of genetic sequence as tools to help rubella eradication...

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology and nanobiotechnology have emerged as novel technologies for the production and application of nanoscale materials in different pharmaceutical, medical, and biological fields. Besides, there are a bunch of recently published patents in this field. Although Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have various advantages and can be applied for a wide variety of purposes, their toxicity on humans is a matter of concern. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate six different types of CNTs, including pristine, carboxylated, and hydroxylated single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) and multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) on three human cell lines...

There is a current tendency towards bioactive natural products that can be used in different areas such as food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical. In the last decades, the polysaccharides have attracted an increasing interest because of the potent nontoxic effects, therapeutic properties, and the diversified range of applications. Polysaccharides are complex and heterogeneous macromolecules, constituted of different monosaccharides, and in some cases of glucuronic acid and sulphate groups. Polysaccharides with biological activity can be derived from plants, animals and microorganisms, especially microalgae...

BACKGROUND: There is a potential for longitudinal and horizontal transfer of the cytotoxic effects of Cypermethrin, and evidence suggesting that date fruit extracts can ameliorate these cytotoxic effects. Thus, the current study evaluated female Wister rats' fertility and pup parameters after mating males treated with Cypermethrin and Date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) extract. METHODS: Adult Wistar rats (n = 74; 140 - 207 g) were used to conduct this experiment in two phases: The first phase was a single dose toxicity study (n = 18), while the second phase (n = 56) evaluated female Wister rats' reproductive and pup development parameters after mating with male Wistar rats exposed to date fruit extract and Cypermethrin...

Drug discovery and development are critical processes that enable the treatment of a wide variety of health-related problems. These are time-consuming, tedious, complicated, and costly processes. Numerous difficulties arise throughout the entire process of drug discovery, from design to testing. Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) recently posed a significant threat to global public health. SARS-Cov-2 and its variants are rapidly spreading in humans due to their high transmission rate. To effectively treat COVID-19, potential drugs and vaccines must be developed quickly...