Affymax N.V. has been awarded a U.S. patent on itsrecombinant peptide diversity technology. Patent No. 5,270,170covers a technique for generating and screening large librariesof random peptides.

The patent's inventors are Millard Cull, Jeffrey Miller and PeterSchatz.

This is the first U.S. patent covering Affymax's proprietarymethods for generating large peptide libraries in recombinanthost cells. The method relies on the use of plasmids to generatethe libraries.

To gain access to the method needed to create viruses with newproperties -- an important step in a viral-based method forgenerating and screening large diverse libraries of peptides --Affymax of the Netherlands has acquired an exclusive licenseto U.S. Patent No. 4,593,002 from the Salk Institute ofBiotechnology/Industrial Associates Inc. (SIBIA). The broadpatent, which was awarded to Renato Dulbecco in 1986, coversways to alter the DNA of a virus to produce a modified coatprotein. Affymax (NASDAQ:AFMXF) has licensed the patent formaking and screening its libraries; SIBIA retains the rightsunder the patent for certain virus-based vaccines. -- JenniferVan Brunt

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.