As discussed in a previous post, antibodies are still where it’s at! With the University of British Columbia (UBC) still leading the horse race, there might be a new player to watch out for.
On May 15, Sorrento Therapeutics announced the discovery of the STI-1499 antibody which was claimed to be a “cure” and provide “100% inhibition” of COVID-19. However, on June 2, stockholders of the company filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company’s leaders used “false and misleading” claims that it had developed a “cure” for COVID-19.
Similarly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s technological advantage, Sorrento Therapeutics also pulls from billions of antibodies previously screened in the company’s proprietary full human antibody library. So far on the Patent Radian®, Sorrento Therapeutics only has monoclonal antibody technology against human markers. While there is no publication (yet) for antibody technology against viruses, it could be something to look out for since the CEO of Sorrento is still backing up the “cure” against allegations.
Below is a Magic Number® Patent Radian® diagram highlighting the patent documents assigned to UBC, Sorrento Therapeutics, and Dana-Farber regarding the use or production of monoclonal antibodies. Note that they are all continuing to apply for patents in their respective technologies. Explore the pandemic sector through the Magic Number® Pandemic Patent Forecast®.
