Patent Profile: Senomyx Announces Issuance of "Sweet and Savory" Patents

    By Donald Zuhn --

Senomyx, Inc. announced last week that it has been granted five U.S. patents directed to human umami and sweet taste receptors.  The patents are U.S. Patent Nos. 7,294,474; 7,297,543; 7,297,772; 7,301,009; and 7,309,577.  With the addition of the five new patents, the San Diego-based company, which uses proprietary taste receptor technologies to discover and develop novel flavor ingredients for the food, beverage, and ingredient supply industries, now has sixteen U.S. patents in its portfolio.

According Dr. Mark Zoller (at left), Senomyx Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Discovery and Development, the five patents "add to Senomyx's already extensive taste receptor patent franchise and expand upon [the company's] earlier patents relating to the human sweet and umami (savory) taste receptors" (the five basic tastes include sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, and umami -- or savoriness).  Dr. Zoller explained that the new patents would strengthen Senomyx's position regarding the use of the claimed taste receptors in screening assays designed to identify new flavor ingredients that induce or modulate sweet and savory tastes.  For example, Senomyx has used taste receptor assays similar to those claimed in the new patents to discover S2383, an enhancer of the artificial sweetener sucralose, and S5742, an enhancer of sucrose (table sugar).  Senomyx is currently involved in product discovery and development collaborations with Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Cadbury Schweppes, Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Firmenich SA, Nestlé SA, and Solae, LLC.

Representative independent claims 1 and 40 of the '474 patent, which issued from U.S. Application No. 10/725,475, recites:

1.  A method for identifying a compound that potentially modulates a T1R2/T1R3 receptor comprising:
    (i) screening one or more compounds in a functional assay that detects compounds which modulate (enhance or inhibit) the activity of the T1R2/T1R3 receptor by another compound; and
    (ii) identifying compounds that potentially modulate the T1R2/T1R3 receptor-based on their modulation (enhancement or inhibition) of the activity of the T1R2/T1R3 receptor by another compound, wherein said T1R2 is a T1R2 polypeptide and is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 10, (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 10 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, and 1% SDS and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSSC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R2 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R2 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 6;
    wherein said T1R3 is a T1R3 polypeptide and is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 9; (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 9 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, 10% SDS; and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSCC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R3 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 7;
    and wherein said T1R2/T1R3 receptor specifically binds to a ligand that specifically binds to an endogenous (wild-type) human T1R2/T1R3 receptor comprised of at least one endogenous T1R2 polypeptide and at least one endogenous T1R3 polypeptide.

Representative independent claims 1 and 40 of the '543 patent, which issued from U.S. Application No. 10/725,103, recite:

1.  An isolated recombinant cell that expresses a heteromeric taste receptor, wherein said receptor is comprised of at least one T1R2 polypeptide and at least one T1R3 polypeptide, wherein said T1R2 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 10, (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 10 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, and 1% SDS and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSSC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R2 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R2 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 6;
    wherein said T1R3 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 9; (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 9 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formaniide [sic], 5xSSC, 10% SDS; and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSCC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R3 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 7;
    and wherein said isolated cell expresses a heteromeric taste receptor that specifically binds to a ligand that specifically binds to an endogenous (wild-type) human heteromeric T1R2/T1R3 receptor comprised of at least one endogenous T1R2 polypeptide and at least one endogenous T1R3 polypeptide.

40.  An isolated eukaryotic recombinant cell that expresses a heteromeric taste receptor, wherein said receptor is comprised of at least one T1R2 polypeptide and at least one T1R3 polypeptide, wherein said T1R2 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 10, (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 10 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, and 1% SDS and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSSC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R2 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R2 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 6;
    wherein said T1R3 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 9; (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 9 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, 10% SDS; and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSCC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R3 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 7;
    and wherein said isolated cell expresses a heteromeric taste receptor that specifically binds to a ligand that specifically binds to an endogenous (wild-type) human heteromeric T1R2/T1R3 receptor comprised of at least one endogenous T1R2 polypeptide and at least one endogenous T1R3 polypeptide.

Representative independent claim 1 of the '772 patent, which issued from U.S. Application No. 10/725,037, recites:

1.  An isolated heteromeric receptor comprising at least one T1R2 polypeptide and at least one T1R3 polypeptide, wherein said T1R2 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 10, (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 10 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, and 1% SDS and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSSC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R2 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R2 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 6;
    wherein said T1R3 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 9; (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 9 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, 10% SDS; and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSCC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R3 polypeptide possessing at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 7;
    and wherein said heteromeric receptor comprised of at least on [sic] T1R2 polypeptide and at least one T1R3 polypeptide specifically binds to a ligand that specifically binds to an endoenous (wild-type) human heteromeric T1R2/T1R3 receptor.

Representative independent claim 1 of the '009 patent, which issued from U.S. Application No. 10/725,080, recites:

1. An isolated heteromeric receptor comprising at least one T1R1 polypeptide and at least one T1R3 polypeptide, wherein said T1R1 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 8, (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 8 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, and 1% SDS and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSSC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R1 polypeptide possessing at least 95% sequence identity to the T1R1 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 5;
    wherein said T1R3 polypeptide is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 9; (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 9 or under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42 [sic] C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, 10% SDS; and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSCC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R3 polypeptide possessing at least 95% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 7;
    and wherein said heteromeric receptor comprised of at least one T1R1 polypeptide and at least one T1R3 polypeptide specifically binds to a ligand that specifically binds to an endogenous (wild-type) human heteromeric T1R1/T1R3 receptor.

Representative independent claim 1 of the '577 patent, which issued from U.S. Application No. 10/725,418, recites:

1.  A method for identifying a compound that potentially modulates a T1R1/T1R3 receptor comprising:
    (i) screening one or more compounds in a binding assay which identifies compounds that specifically bind to a T1R1/T1R3 receptor or which specifically modulate (enhance or inhibit) the specific binding of another compound to a T1R1/T1R3 receptor; and
(ii) identifying compounds that potentially modulate T1R1/T1R3 based on their (a) specific binding to a T1R1/T1R3 receptor or (b) modulation of the specific binding of another compound to a T1R1/T1R3 receptor, wherein said T1R1 is a T1R1 polypeptide and is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 8, (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 8 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, and 1% SDS and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSSC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R1 polypeptide possessing at least 95% sequence identity to the T1R1 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 5;
    wherein said T1R3 is a T1R3 polypeptide and is (i) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ. ID. NO: 9; (ii) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to SEQ. ID. NO: 9 under stringent hybridization conditions which are conducting the hybridization reaction at 42o C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xSSC, 10% SDS; and washing at 65o C. in a solution comprising 0.2xSCC and 0.1% SDS, or (iii) a T1R3 polypeptide possessing at least 95% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 7;
    and wherein said T1R1/T1R3 receptor specifically binds to a ligand that specifically binds to an endogenous (wild-type) human T1R1/T1R3 receptor comprised of at least one endogenous T1R1 polypeptide and at least one endogenous T1R3 polypeptide.

Comments

[me]

Whomever wrote those claims needs to get over themesleves and just claim the required limitations, clearly and succinctly.