Some aspects of Teva's US 5,800,808 (related to Copaxone)
The first claim of US 5,800,808 states:
A method of manufacturing copolymer-1, comprising reacting protected copolymer-1 with hydrobromic acid to form trifluoroacetyl copolymer-1, treating said trifluoroacetyl copolymer-1 with aqueous piperidine solution to form copolymer-1, and purifying said copolymer-1, to result in copolymer-1 having a molecular weight of about 5 to 9 kilodaltons.
The claim refers to "molecular weight" and does not refer to "average molecular weight." That might suggest that the term "copolymer-1" refers to an individual molecule, not a collection of polymers, each individual one of which might have a different molecular weight.
The "background" section states:
Copolymer-1 is a synthetic polypeptide analog of myelin basic protein (MBP), which is a natural component of the myelin sheath. It has been suggested as a potential therapeutic agent for multiple sclerosis (Eur. J. Immunol. [1971] 1:242; and J. Neurol. Sci. [1977] 31:433). All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Interest in copolymer-1 as an immunotherapy for multiple sclerosis stems from observations first made in the 1950's that myelin components such as MBP prevent or arrest experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EAE is a disease resembling multiple sclerosis that can be induced in susceptible animals.
Copolymer-1 was developed by Drs. Sela, Arnon, and their co-workers at the Weizmann Institute (Rehovot, Israel). It was shown to suppress EAE (Eur. J. Immunol. [1971] 1:242; U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,550). More recently, copolymer-1 was shown to be beneficial for patients with the exacerbating-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (N. Engl. J. Med. [1987] 317:408). Patients treated with daily injections of copolymer-1 had fewer exacerbations and smaller increases in their disability status than the control patients.
Copolymer-1 is a mixture of polypeptides composed of alanine, glutamic acid, lysine, and tyrosine in a molar ratio of approximately 6:2:5:1, respectively. It is synthesized by chemically polymerizing the four amino acids forming products with average molecular weights of 23,000 daltons (U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,550).
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved composition of copolymer-1.
The first three sentences of the "summary" do suggest the term "copolymer-1" refers to a collection of molecules:
The present invention relates to a composition of copolymer-1 substantially free of species of copolymer-1 having a molecular weight of over 40 kilodaltons (KDa).
The invention further relates to a copolymer-1 having over 75% of its molar fraction within the molecular weight range from about 2 KDa to about 20 KDa.
In addition, the invention relates to a copolymer-1 having an average molecular weight of about 4 to about 8.6 KDa.
As the courts have noted, the patent does not discuss "how" average molecular weight is to be measured; claim 1 does not use the term "average molecular weight."
Examples 3 and 4 are written in the PRESENT tense:
EXAMPLE 3
Preparation of Trifluoroacetyl-Copolymer-1
Protected copolymer-1 is prepared as described by Teitelbaum et al. Eur. J. Immun. Vol. 1 p. 242 (1971) from the N-carboxyanhydrides of tyrosine (18 g), alanine (50 g), y-benzyl glutamate (35 g) and trifluoroacetyllysine (83 g) dissolved in 3.5 liters of dioxane.
The polymerization process is initiated by the addition of 0.01-0.02% diethylamine. The reaction mixture is stirred at room temperature for 24 hours and then poured into 10 liters water. The product (protected copolymer-1) is filtered, washed with water and dried. The removal of the gamma-benzyl blocking groups from the glutamate residue is carried out by treating the protected copolymer-1 with 33% hydrobromic acid in glacial acetic acid at room temperature for 6-12 hours with stirring. The product is poured into excess water, filtered, washed and dried, yielding the trifluoroacetyl-copolymer-1.
EXAMPLE 4
Preparation of Trifluoroacetyl-Copolymer-1
Protected copolymer-1 is prepared as described by Teitelbaum et al. Eur. J. Immun. Vol. 1 p. 242 (1971) from the N-carboxyanhydrides of tyrosine (18 g), alanine (50 g), .tau.-benzyl glutamate (35 g) and trifluoroacetyllysine (83 g) dissolved in 3.5 liters of dioxane.
The polymerization process is initiated by the addition of 0.01-0.02% diethylamine. The reaction mixture is stirred at room temperature for 24 hours and then poured into 10 liters water. The product (protected copolymer-1) is filtered, washed with water and dried.
Protected copolymer-1 is treated with 33% HBr in acetic acid which removes the omega benzyl protecting group from the 5-carboxylate of the glutamate residue and cleaves the polymer to smaller polypeptides. The time needed for obtaining copolymer-1 of molecular weight 7,000.+-.2,000 Da depends on the reaction temperature and the size of protected copolymer-1. At temperatures of between 20.degree.-28.degree. C. a test reaction is performed on every batch at different time periods for example, from 10-50 hours.
The results concerning the molecular weights of these small scale reactions are calculated and a curve of molecular weight against time is drawn. The time needed for obtaining molecular weight 7,000.+-.2,000 Da is calculated from the curve and performed on larger scale reaction. On average, working at 26.degree. C. the time period is 17 hours. The product is poured into excess water, filtered, washed and dried, yielding the trifluoroacetyl-copolymer-1.
Preparation of low-toxicity copolymer-1
20 g of trifluoroacetyl-copolymer-1 are dispersed in 1 liter of water to which 100 g piperidine are added. The mixture is stirred for 24 hours at room temperature and filtered. The solution of crude copolymer-1 is distributed into dialysis bags and dialyzed at 10.degree.-20.degree. C. against water until a pH=8 is attained. It is then dialyzed against about 0.3% acetic acid and again water until a pH=5.5-6.0 is obtained. This solution is then concentrated and lyophilized to dryness.
The application leading to the '808 patent was filed May 22, 1995.
***
See also United States Patent Application 20090237078
A method of manufacturing copolymer-1, comprising reacting protected copolymer-1 with hydrobromic acid to form trifluoroacetyl copolymer-1, treating said trifluoroacetyl copolymer-1 with aqueous piperidine solution to form copolymer-1, and purifying said copolymer-1, to result in copolymer-1 having a molecular weight of about 5 to 9 kilodaltons.
The claim refers to "molecular weight" and does not refer to "average molecular weight." That might suggest that the term "copolymer-1" refers to an individual molecule, not a collection of polymers, each individual one of which might have a different molecular weight.
The "background" section states:
Copolymer-1 is a synthetic polypeptide analog of myelin basic protein (MBP), which is a natural component of the myelin sheath. It has been suggested as a potential therapeutic agent for multiple sclerosis (Eur. J. Immunol. [1971] 1:242; and J. Neurol. Sci. [1977] 31:433). All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Interest in copolymer-1 as an immunotherapy for multiple sclerosis stems from observations first made in the 1950's that myelin components such as MBP prevent or arrest experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EAE is a disease resembling multiple sclerosis that can be induced in susceptible animals.
Copolymer-1 was developed by Drs. Sela, Arnon, and their co-workers at the Weizmann Institute (Rehovot, Israel). It was shown to suppress EAE (Eur. J. Immunol. [1971] 1:242; U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,550). More recently, copolymer-1 was shown to be beneficial for patients with the exacerbating-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (N. Engl. J. Med. [1987] 317:408). Patients treated with daily injections of copolymer-1 had fewer exacerbations and smaller increases in their disability status than the control patients.
Copolymer-1 is a mixture of polypeptides composed of alanine, glutamic acid, lysine, and tyrosine in a molar ratio of approximately 6:2:5:1, respectively. It is synthesized by chemically polymerizing the four amino acids forming products with average molecular weights of 23,000 daltons (U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,550).
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved composition of copolymer-1.
The first three sentences of the "summary" do suggest the term "copolymer-1" refers to a collection of molecules:
The present invention relates to a composition of copolymer-1 substantially free of species of copolymer-1 having a molecular weight of over 40 kilodaltons (KDa).
The invention further relates to a copolymer-1 having over 75% of its molar fraction within the molecular weight range from about 2 KDa to about 20 KDa.
In addition, the invention relates to a copolymer-1 having an average molecular weight of about 4 to about 8.6 KDa.
As the courts have noted, the patent does not discuss "how" average molecular weight is to be measured; claim 1 does not use the term "average molecular weight."
Examples 3 and 4 are written in the PRESENT tense:
EXAMPLE 3
Preparation of Trifluoroacetyl-Copolymer-1
Protected copolymer-1 is prepared as described by Teitelbaum et al. Eur. J. Immun. Vol. 1 p. 242 (1971) from the N-carboxyanhydrides of tyrosine (18 g), alanine (50 g), y-benzyl glutamate (35 g) and trifluoroacetyllysine (83 g) dissolved in 3.5 liters of dioxane.
The polymerization process is initiated by the addition of 0.01-0.02% diethylamine. The reaction mixture is stirred at room temperature for 24 hours and then poured into 10 liters water. The product (protected copolymer-1) is filtered, washed with water and dried. The removal of the gamma-benzyl blocking groups from the glutamate residue is carried out by treating the protected copolymer-1 with 33% hydrobromic acid in glacial acetic acid at room temperature for 6-12 hours with stirring. The product is poured into excess water, filtered, washed and dried, yielding the trifluoroacetyl-copolymer-1.
EXAMPLE 4
Preparation of Trifluoroacetyl-Copolymer-1
Protected copolymer-1 is prepared as described by Teitelbaum et al. Eur. J. Immun. Vol. 1 p. 242 (1971) from the N-carboxyanhydrides of tyrosine (18 g), alanine (50 g), .tau.-benzyl glutamate (35 g) and trifluoroacetyllysine (83 g) dissolved in 3.5 liters of dioxane.
The polymerization process is initiated by the addition of 0.01-0.02% diethylamine. The reaction mixture is stirred at room temperature for 24 hours and then poured into 10 liters water. The product (protected copolymer-1) is filtered, washed with water and dried.
Protected copolymer-1 is treated with 33% HBr in acetic acid which removes the omega benzyl protecting group from the 5-carboxylate of the glutamate residue and cleaves the polymer to smaller polypeptides. The time needed for obtaining copolymer-1 of molecular weight 7,000.+-.2,000 Da depends on the reaction temperature and the size of protected copolymer-1. At temperatures of between 20.degree.-28.degree. C. a test reaction is performed on every batch at different time periods for example, from 10-50 hours.
The results concerning the molecular weights of these small scale reactions are calculated and a curve of molecular weight against time is drawn. The time needed for obtaining molecular weight 7,000.+-.2,000 Da is calculated from the curve and performed on larger scale reaction. On average, working at 26.degree. C. the time period is 17 hours. The product is poured into excess water, filtered, washed and dried, yielding the trifluoroacetyl-copolymer-1.
Preparation of low-toxicity copolymer-1
20 g of trifluoroacetyl-copolymer-1 are dispersed in 1 liter of water to which 100 g piperidine are added. The mixture is stirred for 24 hours at room temperature and filtered. The solution of crude copolymer-1 is distributed into dialysis bags and dialyzed at 10.degree.-20.degree. C. against water until a pH=8 is attained. It is then dialyzed against about 0.3% acetic acid and again water until a pH=5.5-6.0 is obtained. This solution is then concentrated and lyophilized to dryness.
The application leading to the '808 patent was filed May 22, 1995.
***
See also United States Patent Application 20090237078
posted by Lawrence B. Ebert at 5:51 AM
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