Ryogen licenses human aminopeptidase P gene patent

Jul 10 2006

Ryogen and R&D Systems have announced that they have entered into a nonexclusive license agreement whereby RDSI has licensed from Ryogen the patent directed to the clinically important Aminopeptidase P gene.

The US Patent No. 6,399,349 titled "Human Aminopeptidase P Gene," which is the subject of the License Agreement, covers the XPNPEP2 gene that codes for the clinically important protein, membrane-bound aminopeptidase P (AmP) discovered by Dr. James Ryan in the sixties. Dr. Ryan subsequently sequenced the XPNPEP2 gene that codes for the AmP. This gene is a significant marker for hypertension, angioedema, rejection of kidney transplants, certain tumors and other diseases. This valuable patent covers the cDNA and gDNA sequences encoding AmP, a method of producing recombinant AmP, diagnostics for detecting AmP abnormalities, and prevention and treatment of medical conditions, associated with the mutation of the AmP gene.

"We are happy to extend a license under the AmP Patent to R&D Systems," said Valeria Poltorak, Ryogen's Vice President. "We look forward to working with RDSI to bring this important gene to the research community," she concluded.

"We are pleased to take a license under the AmP patent," said Dr. Paige Jensen, RDSI's Associate General Counsel. "As a leading provider of research reagents, we will be making recombinant Aminopeptidase P protein available for research applications to academic and research institutions."

Dr. James Ryan, the inventor of the '349 patent and the Chief Scientist of Ryogen stated that he was delighted to see R&D Systems' interest in his discovery. He believes that the availability of research reagents will help his discovery make its way to diagnostic and therapeutic applications.