We have the greatest respect for the work of CCH, a hospital that has been a pioneer in treatment of children – especially infants with renal problems, and Dr. Prasad Devarajan is undeniably a fine scientist
http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/bio/d/prasad-devarajan/
But – CCH has to a certain extent (in our view) been used and abused by Alere (Biosite) and Abbott…
NGAL could very well be the next big thing in diagnostics, so its no surprise that major companies have tried to get their own patents – or at least to get an annullment of BioPorto’s…
Until now there has only been issued one other patent regarding NGAL – to CCH (Cincinatti Childrens Hospital) – CCH has tried numerous times to achieve a patent under USPTO (US Patent Treaty Organisation) – in vain… After reducing their initial claims CCH received a watered down good-for-nothing patent by EPO.. The patent “detection of a renal tubular cell injury which is an ischemic renal injury” was late 2011 revoked as a consequence of an opposition case in the EPO, filed by BioPorto.
Bioporto now holds the only valid patent for the use of NGAL as a marker for AKI.
Why is this so important you might ask ? Well – Abbott and Alere have been marketing their heterogenous tests based on the patent from CCH. Now the patent is gone – and there is only one valid patent… BioPorto’s
