Appeal No. 2002-0427 Page 3
Application No. 08/179,656
Background
The specification discloses that platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF)
“has some limitations regarding its usefulness in wound repair. First, PDGF is a
dimeric glycosylated protein which is difficult and expensive to produce. Second,
PDGF is a relatively large molecule which also makes it more difficult to produce
recombinantly or chemically than smaller molecules.” Page 2.
The specification discloses a protein, Leukocyte Derived Growth Factor 2
(LDGF2), “having PDGF-like activity. LDGF2 reacts with PDGF receptors and
possesses mitogenic and/or chemotactic activity for various cell types,
particularly connective tissue cells. LDGF2 may be used as the active ingredient
in therapeutic compositions, e.g. wound healing compositions.” Page 2. The
specification also discloses that LDGF2 is structurally similar to another protein,
known as LDGF1, “in that the first 49 amino acids of each protein are the same.
The last 12 amino acids of LDGF2 differ significantly from the corresponding
portion of LDGF1.” Id.
The specification also states that
[t]he term “LDGF” is intended to include LDGF2, functional
equivalents thereof, and antigenic fragments thereof. The term
functional equivalents is intended to include proteins which differs
[sic] in amino acid sequence from the LDGF2 amino acid sequence
(SEQ ID NO:17) . . . but wherein the differences are of a nature
which allows the modified protein to behave in the same or similar
manner as LDGF2. For example, the modification may be to an
amino acid which is not directly involved in LDGF2’s ability to
perform its intended function of reacting with the PDGF receptor.
For example, the modification may be an amino acid(s) substitution,
deletion or insertion.
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