Metabolon awarded US Patent for ‘metabolomics methods’

Metabolon, Inc., the leader in global metabolism through biomarker discovery and analysis, today announced that it was awarded US Patent 7,635,556 “Methods for Drug Discovery, Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Using Metabolomics” by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on December 22, 2009. This is the sixth patent to issue from the fundamental Daouk-Kristal “metabolomics methods” patent family and the fourth one in this portfolio to be granted in 2009.

“Methods for Drug Discovery, Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Using Metabolomics”

The ‘556 patent is directed to identifying small molecules that are affected by a drug or a toxin using metabolomics. It provides a method to evaluate chemical agents for drug effects and toxicity, thereby facilitating pre-clinical and clinical drug development activities. The patent extends Metabolon’s IP related to the use of metabolomics beyond disease biomarker discovery into uses of metabolomics for drug discovery and development.

Metabolon is the exclusive license holder of the Daouk-Kristal patent family which is comprised of early, pioneering patents and patent applications which provide fundamental IP in the field of metabolomics. Metabolon’s previously issued patents include the use of metabolomics for determining biomarkers for disease, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and neurological disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, depression and schizophrenia. Metabolon also owns patents relating to software designed for analyzing metabolomics data.