Issued Patents for PCT

Pressure Cycling Reactor

• Pressure Cycling Reactor and Methods of Controlling Reactions Using Pressure

• Authors: Laugharn, J., G. Dreier, E. Rudd, and David Green
• Date Awarded: 3/14/00
• Patent Number: US 6,036,923
• Summary: Pressure cycling reactor, flow through valves and methods of controlling enzymatic and binding activities.

• Pressure Cycling Reactor

• Authors: Laugharn, J., G. Dreier, E. Rudd, and David Green
• Date Awarded: 9/12/01
• Patent Number: EP 814900
• Summary: Same name (U.S. Patent No. 6,036,923) to European Patent Convent, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

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Nucleic Acid Purification

• Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification

• Authors: Laugharn, J., R. Hess, and Feng Tao
• Date Awarded: 9/19/00
• Patent Number: 6,120,985
• Summary: Lysis of animal or human cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, plants by pressure cycling

• Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification

• Authors: Laugharn, J., R. Hess, and Feng Tao
• Date Awarded: 8/29/00
• Patent Number: 6,111,096
• Summary: Pressure devices using electrodes, cartridges, and solid phase columns for purification and concentration of nucleic acids

• Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification

• Authors: Laugharn, J., R. Hess, and Feng Tao
• Date Awarded: 07/25/02
• Patent Number: AU 745925
• Summary: Patent issued in Australia, counterpart to US 6,111,096

• Pressure Enhanced Extraction and Purification

• Authors: Laugharn, J., R. Hess, and F. Tao
• Date Awarded: 8/14/01
• Patent Number: US 6,274,726
• Summary: Methods and devices for purification of nucleic acids using an electrode array system or binding to solid phase wherein purification is controlled by pressure.

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Molecular Purification

• Pressure Mediated Binding of Biomolecular Complexes

• Authors: Hess, R., and J. Laugharn
• Date Awarded: 10/4/01
• Patent Number: EP 924991
• Summary: Counterpart of a pending U.S. patent application, and extends protection to all the major countries of the European Union. Issued in European Patent Convention, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden.

• Pressure Modulated Ion Activity

• Authors: Hess, R., and J. Laugharn
• Date Awarded: 10/03/00
• Patent Number: 6,127,534
• Summary: Purification of compounds based on pressure differential binding to solid substrates.

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Macromolecular Sequencing

• Integrated Sequencing Device

• Authors: Laugharn, J, and R. Hess.
• Date Awarded: 6/12/01
• Patent Number: 6,245,506
• Summary: A method of sequencing polymeric biomolecules by cyclic application of high pressure to cause enzymes to release a single nucleotide or amino acid per pressure pulse.

• Integrated Sequencing Device

• Authors: Laugharn, J, and R. Hess.
• Date Awarded: 9/10/02
• Patent Number: US 6,448,065
• Summary: Covering the devices used in Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT) for determination of nucleic acid (DNA, RNA) and protein sequences. This patent describes a self-contained high-pressure reaction and detection apparatus with an integrated pressure cycling device optimized for sequencing operations, and extends the coverage of an earlier patent with the same title (No. 6,245,506) that described the sequencing methodology.

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Nucleic Acid Hybridization

• Pressure Controlled Nucleic Acid Hybridization

• Authors: Laugharn, J., D. Green and R. Hess
• Date Awarded: 7/10/01
• Patent Number: US 6,258,534
• Summary: A method of controlling hybridization of nucleic acids using pressure rather than heat to dissociate the nucleic acid strands.

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Pathogen Inactivation

• Rapid Cryobaric Sterilization and Vaccine Preparation

• Authors: Laugharn, J., D. Bradley, and R. Hess
• Date Awarded: 8/02/01
• Patent Number: 6,270,723
• Summary: Describes the use of high pressure to sterilize materials such as vaccines, therapeutics, or blood plasma preparations without destroying the desired protein activities.

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Nucleic Acid Hybridization

• Pressure-Controlled Nucleic Acid Hybridization

• Authors: Laugharn, J., D. Green and R. Hess
• Date Awarded: 6/22/2004
• Patent Number: US 6,753,169
• Summary: A method of hybridizing a first nucleic acid to a second nucleic acid at least partially complementary to the first nucleic acid by (1) providing a sample vessel and pressure controller for the vessel; and (2) contacting the first and second nucleic acids within the vessel at a pressure above ambient pressure that is effective to enhance hybridization of the first and second nucleic acids.

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Pathogen Inactivation

• Rapid Cryobaric Sterilization and Vaccine Preparation

• Authors: Laugharn, J.A., D.W. Bradley, R.A. Hess
• Date Awarded: 2/24/2004
• Patent Number: US 6,696,019
• Summary: Describes the discovery of biological and non-biological materials sterilization by repeatedly cycling pressure in the preparation of vaccines, blood plasma or serum, and the disinfection of medical equipment. The new methods can be incorporated into production processes or research procedures.

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Molecular Purification

• Pressure-Mediated Binding of Biomolecular Complexes

• Authors: Litt, G.J., J.A. Laugharn, D.J. Green
• Date Awarded: 10/21/2003
• Patent Number: US 6,635,469
• Summary: The invention relates to association and dissociation of biomolecular complexes to enable separation of biomolecules from a complex mixture. It can be used to improve the dissociating biomolecular complexes, the speed of an assay and its sensitivity.

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Pressure Cycling Reactor

• Pressure Cycling Reactor

• Authors: Laugharn, J.A., G.H. Dreier, E.A. Rudd, D.J. Green
• Date Awarded: 5/27/2003
• Patent Number: US 6,569,672
• Summary: Describes methods and apparatus in which pressure provides precise control over the timing and preferably synchronization of chemical reactions, particularly enzymatic reactions.

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Pathogen Inactivation

• Rapid Cryobaric Sterilization and Vaccine Preparation

• Laugharn, J., D.W. Bradley, and R.A. Hess
• Date Awarded: 7/9/2003
• Patent Number: EP1112091
• Summary: Describes the use of high pressure to sterilize materials such as vaccines, therapeutics, or blood plasma preparations without destroying the desired protein activities.