Integral Molecular receives U.S. patent for methodology that generates Lipoparticles

Integral MolecularMay 4 2012

Integral Molecular, a leader in membrane protein reagents and services, announces the issuance of a key patent protecting its methodology for generating Lipoparticles, which provide highly-concentrated membrane proteins in their native conformation for antibody and drug discovery applications focused on membrane protein targets such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), ion channels, and transporters.    

"Lipoparticles are a nano-scale technology that allows complex membrane proteins to be concentrated and manipulated as essentially soluble proteins," said Dr. Joseph Rucker, Director of Research and Development at Integral Molecular and an inventor on the patent. "Our exclusive methodology for Lipoparticle production and purification provides the ability to generate exceptionally pure and highly stable membrane protein reagents that are ideal for antibody discovery, high-throughput screening, and detailed protein characterization."

US Patent No. 8,158,130, Doms et al., was issued by the U.S. Patent Office on April 17, 2012 to the University of Pennsylvania and represents a continuation of a previous patent describing the composition of Lipoparticles. Integral Molecular is the exclusive, world-wide licensee of both patents, making Lipoparticle technology available only from Integral Molecular. Additional patents covering the Lipoparticle are pending.

Integral Molecular offers custom-produced Lipoparticles with user-specified membrane proteins on a fee-for-service basis, as well as ReadyReceptor^® Lipoparticles that ship quickly and contain pre-validated high-concentration membrane protein targets. Each lot of Lipoparticles is quality controlled and provided with technical protocols for relevant applications. These include antibody screening, biosensor assays, and ELISA binding assays. Lipoparticles can be biotinylated or fluorescently labeled to accommodate specialized applications.