By Christopher P. Singer

In a February 14, 2006 press release, Idera Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. announced that U.S. Patent No. 7,176,296,
titled "Modulation of Oligonucleotide CpG-Mediated Immune Stimulation by Positional Modification of Nucleosides," has been granted by the U.S. Patent
Office.  According to Idera, the patent
covers a series of compounds that comprise modifications to the CpG
dinucleotide motif.  These modifications
include chemical groups that can modulate the immune response.  The "CpG" nomenclature stands for
the dinucleotide 5′-deoxycytidine-deoxyguanidine or deoxyguanidine analog-3′,
where "p" is an internucleotide linkage, such as a phosphodiester,
phosphorothioate, or an alkylphosphonate, to name a few examples.  According to Idera, this patent encompasses
components of its current candidate compounds that target Toll-Like Receptors
(TLRs).

The ‘296 patent claims priority as a divisional application
(of U.S. Patent No. 7,115,579)
back to April 30, 2001.  In brief, the
patent claims relate to CpG compounds modified with a variety of
immunomodulatory groups, which can either increase or decrease
immunostimulatory effect relative to the unmodified compound.  Representative independent Claim 1 recites:

1. A compound
   having increased or reduced immunostimulatory effect, the compound comprising a
   5′-CpG-3′ dinucleotide, wherein C is cytosine and G is guanosine or a
   substituted guanosine, and an immunomodulatory moiety, wherein the
   immunomodulatory moiety is selected from the group consisting of abasic
   nucleoside, 1,3-propanediol linker, nitropyrrole, nitroindole, deoxyuridine,
   inosine, isoguanosine, 2-aminopurine, nebularine, 7-deazaguanosine,
   4-thiodeoxyuridine, 4-thiothymidine, d-isoguanosine, d-iso-5-methylcytosine,
   P-base, and 3′-3′ linkage, wherein the compound is 12 to 35 nucleotides in
   length, wherein the compound does not have antisense activity, and wherein the
   increased or reduced immunomodulatory effect is relative to a similar compound
   lacking the immunomodulatory moiety.

More information regarding this technology and Idera
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. can be found here.