Endothelial precursor cells for enhancing and restoring vascular function

Patent Number: 7,135,171

Numerous ways exist of augmenting angiogenesis. These range from administration of cytokines such as FGF (US Patent #6451303) to administration of cells (US Patent 5980887). The current patent teaches the administration of endothelial progenitor cells, not some much for actually stimulating new blood vessel production, but moreso for the "rejuventation" of the vascular system.

The patent has 2 independent claims. The first covers the method of administering PDGF to heart tissue through providing either allogeneic or autologous cells that are derived from the bone marrow, secrete PDGF, and express the PDGF receptor. The second claim covers a method of treating cardiac ischemia through administration of the same cells.

This patent is well-written and contains numerous examples and possibilities of how to generate such cells. Detailed methodology is provided for producing endothelial progenitors by many methods including: nuclear transfer, parthenogenesis, peripheral blood extraction, and extraction from bone marrow. Additionally, numerous isolation methodologies are also provided.

What is unclear is what other markers are expressed on the cells covered by this patent. It is possible that the inventors purposely took the angle of "rejuvenation" and increasing function of existing endothelium, in order not to overlap with patents, such as US Patent 5980887 which actually cover formation of new blood vessels.

View this patent on the USPTO website.