Isis Pharmaceuticals Receives Key Patent for Pathogen Identification Methodology Used in Ibis Biosensor System
Isis Pharmaceuticals Receives Key Patent for Pathogen Identification Methodology Used in Ibis Biosensor System
New Patent Is Fundamental to Biosensor Technology Developed by Ibis Division of Isis
CARLSBAD, Calif., Sept. 20 -- Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISIS) announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued to Isis U.S. Patent No. 7,108,974 (the '974 Patent), a fundamental patent covering the bacterial identification methodology used in the Ibis T5000(TM) biosensor system developed and being commercialized by the Company's Ibis division. The '974 Patent broadly covers identification of bacterial organisms obtained by analyzing molecular signatures derived from the organism's DNA.
Using the Ibis T5000 biosensor system, investigators can identify virtually any organism without time-consuming culturing, sequencing or hybridization steps, and without knowing which organisms might be present in the sample. The Ibis T5000 biosensor system can be used to detect biowarfare threats, to identify sources of hospital-associated infections, to monitor emerging and pandemic diseases, and in the future, to diagnose human infectious diseases. The Ibis T5000 can also be used to characterize human samples for forensic applications. Ibis has installed three systems with government agencies, and it expects to announce its first commercial system sales of the Ibis T5000 this year. Isis recently announced that Bruker Daltonics will manufacture, install and service the Ibis T5000 instruments.
According to Michael Treble, President of Isis' Ibis Biosciences Division, "The '974 patent is an important piece of the intellectual property coverage, securing our first-in-class technologies and applications against potential competitors as we proceed into commercial markets. The new patent is the first of what we expect to be a growing portfolio of patents covering all of the key components of the novel Ibis T5000 system including assay kits, hardware components and data analysis software."
ABOUT IBIS T5000 BIOSENSOR SYSTEM AND THE IBIS BIOSCIENCES DIVISION
Ibis Biosciences, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, has developed the Ibis T5000 biosensor system, which uses the Triangulation Identification for the Genetic Evaluation of Risks (T.I.G.E.R.) methodology, for rapid detection, identification and characterization of infectious agents. Ibis plans to commercialize the Ibis T5000 biosensor system to government customers for use in biowarfare defense, epidemiological surveillance and forensics; and to non-government customers for use in pharmaceutical process control, hospital- associated infection control and infectious disease diagnostics. Additional information about Isis' Ibis division can be found by selecting the Ibis Biosciences link from Isis' homepage at www.isispharm.com.
The Ibis Biosciences division has been funded by U.S. government agencies including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and others.
ABOUT ISIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Isis is exploiting its expertise in RNA to discover and develop novel drugs for its product pipeline and for its partners. The Company has successfully commercialized the world's first antisense drug and has 15 drugs in development. Isis' drug development programs are aimed at treating cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Isis' partners are focused in disease areas such as inflammatory, ocular, viral and neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. As an innovator in RNA-based drug discovery and development, Isis is the owner or exclusive licensee of approximately 1,500 issued patents worldwide. Additional information about Isis is available at www.isispharm.com.
Source: Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CONTACT:
Kate Winkler Corcoran, Ph.D.,
Vice President, Corp.Development
Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
+1-760-603-2712
William C. Craumer,
Executive Director, Corp. Communications
Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
+1-760-603-2773
Web site: www.isispharm.com/
