By Donald Zuhn —

Rosetta Genomics, Ltd. announced on July 31, 2007 that it had been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,250,496.  While the ‘496 patent discloses two large groups of genes: 20,600 genomic address messenger (GAM) genes, which selectively inhibit the translation of disease-associated target genes, and 6,635 genomic record (GR) genes – miRNA-like genes that modulate the expression of known target genes, the claims of the ‘496 patent are directed to only one of the 27,235 disclosed sequences: human microRNA miR-492.

The ‘496 patent is the second U.S. patent to be awarded to Rosetta Genomics.  Patent Docs previously reported on the issuance of the Rehovot, Israel-based biotech company’s first U.S. patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,217,807), which Rosetta asserts is the first microRNA gene patent to be issued worldwide.

Rosetta Genomics focuses on diagnostic and therapeutic product development based on microRNA – small, single-stranded forms of RNA generated from endogenous hairpin-shaped transcripts that regulate protein production.  A complete description of microRNAs (as well as a nice animation) can be found at the company’s website.

The ‘496 patent issued from U.S. Application No. 10/310,914, which was filed December 6, 2002, and which claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 10/293,338, which was filed November 14, 2002.  The lone independent claims of the ‘496 patent recites:

1.  An isolated nucleic acid wherein the sequence of the nucleic acid consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12003.