The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 07, 1995
Filed:
Jan. 19, 1994
Neil C Bruce, Cambridge, GB;
Lauren D Stephens, Royston, GB;
Christopher R Lowe, Saffron Walden, GB;
British Technology Group Limited, London, GB;
Abstract
Two enzymes, one an acetylmorphine carboxyesterase (AMCE), the other a morphine dehydrogenase (MDH), have been isolated from bacteria. The AMCE degrades heroin to morphine and the MDH oxidizes morphine to morphinone, with the aid of a cofactor. More particularly, the invention pertains to a process for preparing a 6-ketone from morphine or a methyl or ethyl derivative thereof. The process comprises oxidizing morphine or an ether derivative in the presence of a morphine dehydrogenase and the cofactor NADP.sup.+. These reactions are used in detection of heroin (using the two reactions coupled together) or morphine. The enzymes can be incorporated in sensors for this purpose.