Appeal No. 95-1364
Application No. 07/919,287
Background
The subject matter of the invention is a medical method. In particular, the claims are directed to
a method for treating a viral condition caused by an enveloped virus. According to the specification
[e]nveloped viruses include a fusion protein that changes conformation from a
native form to a fusogenic form. This promotes fusion of the viral membrane
with the host cell membrane, resulting in injection of viral contents into the host
cell.
Specification, p. 1, lines 19-22. Applicants list the following families of viruses as enveloped viruses:
Togaviridae, Flaviviridae, Coronaviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Filoviridae,
Paramyxoviridae, Orthmyxoviridae, Bunyaviridae, Arenaviridae, Retroviridae,
Hepadnaviridae, Herpesviridae, Poxviridae and Iridoviridae.
Specification, p. 4, lines 31 - 34. The conditions which can be treated using the invention are said to
include
rubella, yellow fever, rabies, influenza, Korean hemorrhagic fever, common
colds, respiratory syncytial virus, measles, mumps, HIV, hepatitis B, Herpes
simplex, CMV, chicken pox, smallpox, Marburg virus, hemorrhagic fever,
Lassa fever and African swine fever.
Specification, p. 4, line 34 - p. 5, line 4.
According to applicants the viral condition is treated by administering a therapeutically effective
amount of a substituted benzene compound to the patient. The substituted benzene compound is generically
defined as a benzene compound comprising a 2-R , 3-R -1-OX , 4-OX where at least one of R and R1 2 1 2 1 2
include a carbon linkage to the benzene ring and OX and OX are simultaneously hydroxy. See Claim1 2
1. Applicants’ specification also tells us that the treatment is effective because the compound inhibits fusion
of the viral membrane with the cell’s endosomal membrane by binding near the stem region or the hinge
region of the virus’ hemagglutinin glycoprotein. The bound compound reduces the ability of the fusion
protein to adopt the fusogenic conformation. Specification, p. 1, line 31 - page 4, line 19.
Independent claims 1, 14, 23 and 26 are representative (Appendix of claims, p. 1-3):
2
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Last modified: November 3, 2007