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:
Sep. 11, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2008
Ayesha Sitlani, Metuchen, NJ (US);
Timothy S. Fisher, Plainsboro, NJ (US);
Joseph C. Santoro, Belle Mead, NJ (US);
Ayesha Sitlani, Metuchen, NJ (US);
Timothy S. Fisher, Plainsboro, NJ (US);
Joseph C. Santoro, Belle Mead, NJ (US);
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Rahway, NJ (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for detecting autoprocessed, secreted PCSK9, a protein involved in cholesterol homeostasis, and for effectively identifying compounds that inhibit autocleavage and secretion from cells. The disclosed method involves the insertion of an epitope tag into a PCSK9 expression construct immediately C-terminal to the pro domain ending at an amino acid residue corresponding to Q152 of human PCSK9. Upon autoprocessing, the epitope tag is exposed and capable of recognition by anti-epitope antibodies or other suitable identification system, allowing for the selective and exclusive identification and/or quantification of processed PCSK9. The present disclosure thus advances the goal of providing enabling technology to the art for the effective identification of therapeutics effective in combating coronary heart disease.