Methods for identifying factors for differentiating definitive endoderm

Patent Number: 7,541,185

Continuing its tradition of IP excellence, Novocell took a very interesting angle in the current patent. 

Covered are tests for identifying factors that can induce stem cell differentiation into endoderm.

The first independent claim is:

" A method of identifying a factor that promotes the differentiation of human definitive endoderm cells, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a human cell population comprising human definitive endoderm cells, wherein said human definitive endoderm cells comprise at least 10% of the human cells in said cell population; providing a candidate differentiation factor to said cell population; determining expression of a marker of a cell differentiated from definitive endoderm in said cell population at a first time point; determining expression of the same marker in said cell population at a second time point, wherein said second time point is subsequent to said first time point and wherein said second time point is subsequent to providing said cell population with said candidate differentiation factor; and determining if expression of the marker in said cell population at said second time point is increased as compared to the expression of the marker in said definitive endoderm cell population at said first time point, wherein an increase in expression of said marker in said cell population indicates that said candidate differentiation factor promotes the differentiation of said human definitive endoderm cells"

This patent complements Novocell's other patents such as #7,510,876 covering stem cell generated endoderm and 7,534,608 which covers at least 394 methods of generating insulin producing cells.

View this patent on the USPTO website.