Changes
==Overview==
===Interferon===
[[Image:interferon.jpg|250px|right|thumb|'''Interferon''' [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/1HIG_Interferon-Gamma01.png Source]]]
Interferons (IFNs) are natural cell-signaling proteins produced by the cells of the immune system of most vertebrates in response to challenges such as viruses, parasites and tumor cells. They belong to the large class of glycoproteins known as cytokines and are produced by a wide variety of cells in response to the presence of double-stranded RNA, a key indicator of viral infection. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanoma Source]
Interferons assist the immune response by inhibiting viral replication within host cells, activating natural killer cells and macrophages, increasing antigen presentation to T lymphocytes, and increasing the resistance of host cells to viral infection. There are 3 known classes of interferons; type I, type II and type III. All classes are very important in fighting viral infections. Recent studies have shown that Interferon can also help stop the growth and spread of cancer cells. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interferon Source]
===Melanoma===
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Melanin also protects the deeper layers of the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.When people spend time in the sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan. This also happens when skin is exposed to other forms of ultraviolet light (such as in a tanning booth). If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma.People with melanoma who have one or more positive lymph nodes are at a high risk to have their melanoma recur. It is believed that 70 to 80% of these individuals will have their melanoma come back within the next three to five years. [http://www.melanoma.com/whatis.html Source]
===Interferon for treatment of melanoma===
Over the past several decades, the incidence of melanoma has increased at a faster rate than that of any other solid tumor. In the 1930s, the lifetime risk for a person living in the U.S. to develop melanoma was 1 in 1,500. Currently, that risk is 1 in 74, and for 2003 it was estimated that 51,400 cases of invasive melanoma would be diagnosed. While efforts to improve early diagnosis through education have resulted in the increased detection of early-stage melanoma, many patients still present with high-risk primary melanomas.
A beacon of hope in the treatment of melanoma has long been the observation that melanoma is susceptible to attack by the host’s immune system. This has resulted in the testing of a remarkably broad spectrum of immunotherapies, including the use of nonspecific immunostimulants, various approaches to vaccine therapies, and cytokine therapy. Many of these approaches failed to demonstrate a significant clinical impact, and the practitioner had been left with few options in treating high-risk melanoma patients with adjuvant therapy. One exception to this, however, has been the use of adjuvant interferon alpha (IFN-{alpha})
While the precise mechanism of action remains poorly understood, there are multiple antitumor effects of IFN-{alpha}. These include a direct antiproliferative effect, the enhancement of natural killer cell activity, and the upregulation of tumor antigens and/or HLA class I and class II antigens. Initial phase II clinical studies with IFN-{alpha} in metastatic melanoma showed response rates in the 10%–20% range [4, 5]. These response rates, while encouraging, were not significant enough to lead to its widespread use in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. [http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/cgi/content/full/8/5/451 Source]
===Taxonomy===
[[Image:taxonomy melanoma mod1.jpg|700px|center|thumb| '''Taxonomy''']]
==Intellectual property==
===Search strategy and concept===
Date of Search: 1836 to October 26, 2009
Database used: Micropatent - Include extensive full text and MPI-Inpadoc searches
===Search in Micropatent full text===
Micro patent full text search allow search in fulltext of US, EP, PCT, Great Britain, and German patent records as well as the front page of JP documents. US, EP, and DE are covered at first publication and when granted.
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search concept'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search Scope'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search reason'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Class Code (IPC,US,ECLA)'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search quey'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''No. of hits'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title, Abstract and Claims
|align = "center"|Specific classes of interferon AND melanoma keywords
|align = "center"|A61K003821<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR C07K014555 OR C07K001456 OR C07K014565 OR C07K001457 OR C07K014715G OR 4240854 OR 4242811 OR 42400141 OR 514889 OR 530351 OR 930142
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|576
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title, Abstract and Claims
|align = "center"|Broad classes of interferon AND melanoma, interferon keywords
|align = "center"|A61K003819 OR C07K001452 OR 4240851 OR 4240855 OR 4240856 OR 4240857 OR A61P003500
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|756
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|'''Final query'''
|align = "center" colspan = "4"|'''1 OR 2'''
|align = "center"|1019 records<br>'''571 unique records'''
|-
|}
===Search in Micropatent MPI-INPADOC===
Micrpatent MPI-INPADOC search bibliographic data for 71 countries and legal status for 42. Only those patents were analyzed which have English title and/or abstract.
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search concept'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search Scope'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search reason'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Class search'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search quey'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''No. of hits'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Specific IPC classes of interferon AND melanoma keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03821 OR C07K014555 OR C07K01456 OR C07K014565 OR C07K01457
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|174
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Broad IPC classes of interferon AND melanoma, interferon keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03819 OR C07K01452 OR A61P03500
|align = "center"|(IFN<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>IFN OR interferon<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>interferon OR huIFN) AND (Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|484
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Specific ECLA classes of interferon AND melanoma keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03821<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR C07K014555 OR C07K01456 OR C07K014565 OR C07K01457 OR C07K014715G
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|102
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Broad ECLA classes of interferon AND melanoma, interferon keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03819 OR C07K01452 OR A61P03500
|align = "center"|(IFN<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>IFN OR interferon<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>interferon OR huIFN) AND (Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|9
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center" colspan = "4"|'''Final query'''
|align = "center"|'''1 OR 2 OR 3 OR 4'''
|align = "center"|587 hits<br>'''232 unique records'''
|-
|}
===Class codes used in searches===
* '''Relevant IPC classes'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="75%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "4"|'''IPC'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class Code'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class definition'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class coverage'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|A61K003819
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing peptides - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|A61K003821
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing peptides Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|C07K001452
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|C07K014555
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center"|C07K001456
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-alpha
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''6'''
|align = "center"|C07K014565
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-beta
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''7'''
|align = "center"|C07K001457
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-gamma
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''8'''
|align = "center"|A61P003500
|align = "center"|Therapeutic activity of chemical compounds or medicinal preparations -antineoplastic agents
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|}
* '''Relevant ECLA classes'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="75%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "4"|'''ECLA'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class Code'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class definition'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class coverage'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|A61K003819
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing peptides - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|A61K003821
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|A61K38/21A
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing IFN-alpha
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|A61K38/21B
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing IFN-beta
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center"|A61K38/21C
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing IFN-gamma
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''6'''
|align = "center"|C07K001452
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''7'''
|align = "center"|C07K014555
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''8'''
|align = "center"|C07K001456
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-alpha
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''9'''
|align = "center"|C07K014565
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-beta
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''10'''
|align = "center"|C07K001457
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-gamma
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''11'''
|align = "center"|C07K014715G
|align = "center"|Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants - for interferons -
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|}
* '''Relevant US classes'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="50%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "3"|'''US class'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class Code'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class definition'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|4240854
|align = "center"|DRUG, BIO-AFFECTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - this subclass provides for patents which broadly claim interferon or a method of treatment of interferon where the classification of the interferon as alpha, beta or gamma interferon is impossible
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|4242811
|align = "center"| DRUG, BIO-AFFCTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - Virus (e.g., interferon-inducing virus, etc.)
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|42400141
|align = "center"|DRUG, BIO-AFFECTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - Attached to lymphokine, cytokine, or other secreted growth regulatory factor, differentiation factor, or intercellular mediator specific for a hematopoietic cell (e.g., interferon, interleukin, macrophage factor, colony stimulating factor, erythropoietin); derivative thereof
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|514889
|align = "center"|DRUG, BIO-AFFECTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - INTERFERON INDUCER
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center"|530351
|align = "center"| CHEMISTRY: NATURAL RESINS OR DERIVATIVES; PEPTIDES OR PROTEINS; LIGNINS OR REACTION PRODUCTS THEREOF - Lymphokines, e.g., interferons, interlukins, etc.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''6'''
|align = "center"|930142
|align = "center"|PEPTIDE OR PROTEIN SEQUENCE - Interferon
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''7'''
|align = "center"|4240851
|align = "center"|LYMPHOKINE - Included in this and the indented subclasses interferon, interleukin and macrophage factors (monokines)
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''8'''
|align = "center"|4240855
|align = "center"|Gamma or immune: This subclass is indented under subclass 85.4. Subject matter in which the interferon is gamma or immune interferon.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''9'''
|align = "center"|4240856
|align = "center"|Subject matter in which the interferon is beta or fibroblast interferon.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''10'''
|align = "center"|4240857
|align = "center"|Subject matter in which the interferon is alpha or leukocyte interferon.
|-
|}
===Search in Japanese database===
Database: IPDL (Industrial property digital library), Japan
Date of search: 1900/01/01 to 2009/10/26
'''Total patents: 846 (Relevancy ~10%)'''
* '''F-Terms and theme used in search'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="75%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "3"|'''Japanese F-term search'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Definition'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center"|'''F- Term theme'''
|align = "center"|'''4H045'''
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereo
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA15
|align = "center"|Peptide or protein characterised by function - Interferons
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA16
|align = "center"|Alpha-interferons
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA17
|align = "center"|Beta-interferons
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA18
|align = "center"|Gamma-interferons
|-
|}
==Sample patents==
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''S.No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Patent/Publication No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Date of Publication'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Assignee / Applicant'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Inventor(s)'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Title'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Dolcera Summary'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=20051027&CC=US&NR=2005238621A1&KC=A1 US7482014B2]</u></font>
|align = "center"|1/27/2009
|align = "center"|Schering Corporation
|align = "center"|Rybak, Mary Ellen and Rose, Esther Helen
|align = "center"|Melanoma therapy
|align = "center"|The invention relates to a method of treating a patient having Stage IIB or Stage III melanoma which has been surgically removed. A first dose of 6.0 micrograms/kg of pegylated interferon alpha-2b once a week for eight weeks, and then administering to the patient a second dose of 3.0 or less micrograms/kg of pegylated interferon alpha-2b once a week for the remainder of a five year treatment period.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19991207&CC=US&NR=5997858A&KC=A US5997858A]</u></font>
|align = "center"|12/7/1999
|align = "center"|Pharma Pacific Pty Ltd.
|align = "center"|Tovey, Michael Gerard and Kaido, Thomas James
|align = "center"|Stimulation of host defense mechanisms against tumors
|align = "center"|A method for treating multiple myeloma, hairy cell leukemia, malignant melanoma, brain tumors etc. by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an interferon (1500 IU to about 20×10<sup>6</sup> IU for a 70 kg man per day) via oromucosal contact.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19881026&CC=EP&NR=0288055A1&KC=A1 EP288055A1]</u></font>
|align = "center"|10/26/1988
|align = "center"|MERRELL DOW PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
|align = "center"|Sunkara, Sai P.
|align = "center"|Use of ODC inhibitors, dacarbazine, and interferon, in the treatment of malignant melanoma
|align = "center"|A combinational therapy containing an ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, Interferon and Dacarbazine for simultaneous, separate or sequential use in treating rapidly-proliferating cell-growth disease such as melanoma.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19871014&CC=EP&NR=0241242A1&KC=A1 EP241242A1]</u></font>
|align = "center"|10/14/1987
|align = "center"|CETUS ONCOLOGY CORPORATION
|align = "center"|Rudolph, Alfred
|align = "center"|The use of interferon-beta and interleukin-2 for combination therapy and compositions therefor
|align = "center"|A composition comprising of a mixture of lFN- beta and IL-2 for administration to human patients for therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of cancer such as colon cancer, melanoma, renal cell cancer, lung cancer.
|-
|}
===Interferon===
[[Image:interferon.jpg|250px|right|thumb|'''Interferon''' [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/1HIG_Interferon-Gamma01.png Source]]]
Interferons (IFNs) are natural cell-signaling proteins produced by the cells of the immune system of most vertebrates in response to challenges such as viruses, parasites and tumor cells. They belong to the large class of glycoproteins known as cytokines and are produced by a wide variety of cells in response to the presence of double-stranded RNA, a key indicator of viral infection. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanoma Source]
Interferons assist the immune response by inhibiting viral replication within host cells, activating natural killer cells and macrophages, increasing antigen presentation to T lymphocytes, and increasing the resistance of host cells to viral infection. There are 3 known classes of interferons; type I, type II and type III. All classes are very important in fighting viral infections. Recent studies have shown that Interferon can also help stop the growth and spread of cancer cells. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interferon Source]
===Melanoma===
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Melanin also protects the deeper layers of the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.When people spend time in the sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan. This also happens when skin is exposed to other forms of ultraviolet light (such as in a tanning booth). If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma.People with melanoma who have one or more positive lymph nodes are at a high risk to have their melanoma recur. It is believed that 70 to 80% of these individuals will have their melanoma come back within the next three to five years. [http://www.melanoma.com/whatis.html Source]
===Interferon for treatment of melanoma===
Over the past several decades, the incidence of melanoma has increased at a faster rate than that of any other solid tumor. In the 1930s, the lifetime risk for a person living in the U.S. to develop melanoma was 1 in 1,500. Currently, that risk is 1 in 74, and for 2003 it was estimated that 51,400 cases of invasive melanoma would be diagnosed. While efforts to improve early diagnosis through education have resulted in the increased detection of early-stage melanoma, many patients still present with high-risk primary melanomas.
A beacon of hope in the treatment of melanoma has long been the observation that melanoma is susceptible to attack by the host’s immune system. This has resulted in the testing of a remarkably broad spectrum of immunotherapies, including the use of nonspecific immunostimulants, various approaches to vaccine therapies, and cytokine therapy. Many of these approaches failed to demonstrate a significant clinical impact, and the practitioner had been left with few options in treating high-risk melanoma patients with adjuvant therapy. One exception to this, however, has been the use of adjuvant interferon alpha (IFN-{alpha})
While the precise mechanism of action remains poorly understood, there are multiple antitumor effects of IFN-{alpha}. These include a direct antiproliferative effect, the enhancement of natural killer cell activity, and the upregulation of tumor antigens and/or HLA class I and class II antigens. Initial phase II clinical studies with IFN-{alpha} in metastatic melanoma showed response rates in the 10%–20% range [4, 5]. These response rates, while encouraging, were not significant enough to lead to its widespread use in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. [http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/cgi/content/full/8/5/451 Source]
===Taxonomy===
[[Image:taxonomy melanoma mod1.jpg|700px|center|thumb| '''Taxonomy''']]
==Intellectual property==
===Search strategy and concept===
Date of Search: 1836 to October 26, 2009
Database used: Micropatent - Include extensive full text and MPI-Inpadoc searches
===Search in Micropatent full text===
Micro patent full text search allow search in fulltext of US, EP, PCT, Great Britain, and German patent records as well as the front page of JP documents. US, EP, and DE are covered at first publication and when granted.
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search concept'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search Scope'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search reason'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Class Code (IPC,US,ECLA)'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search quey'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''No. of hits'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title, Abstract and Claims
|align = "center"|Specific classes of interferon AND melanoma keywords
|align = "center"|A61K003821<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR C07K014555 OR C07K001456 OR C07K014565 OR C07K001457 OR C07K014715G OR 4240854 OR 4242811 OR 42400141 OR 514889 OR 530351 OR 930142
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|576
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title, Abstract and Claims
|align = "center"|Broad classes of interferon AND melanoma, interferon keywords
|align = "center"|A61K003819 OR C07K001452 OR 4240851 OR 4240855 OR 4240856 OR 4240857 OR A61P003500
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|756
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|'''Final query'''
|align = "center" colspan = "4"|'''1 OR 2'''
|align = "center"|1019 records<br>'''571 unique records'''
|-
|}
===Search in Micropatent MPI-INPADOC===
Micrpatent MPI-INPADOC search bibliographic data for 71 countries and legal status for 42. Only those patents were analyzed which have English title and/or abstract.
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search concept'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search Scope'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search reason'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Class search'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Search quey'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''No. of hits'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Specific IPC classes of interferon AND melanoma keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03821 OR C07K014555 OR C07K01456 OR C07K014565 OR C07K01457
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|174
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Broad IPC classes of interferon AND melanoma, interferon keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03819 OR C07K01452 OR A61P03500
|align = "center"|(IFN<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>IFN OR interferon<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>interferon OR huIFN) AND (Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|484
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Specific ECLA classes of interferon AND melanoma keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03821<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR C07K014555 OR C07K01456 OR C07K014565 OR C07K01457 OR C07K014715G
|align = "center"|(Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|102
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|Interferon for treating Melanoma
|align = "center"|Title and Abstract
|align = "center"|Broad ECLA classes of interferon AND melanoma, interferon keywords
|align = "center"|A61K03819 OR C07K01452 OR A61P03500
|align = "center"|(IFN<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>IFN OR interferon<nowiki>*</nowiki> OR <nowiki>*</nowiki>interferon OR huIFN) AND (Melanoma OR (Skin NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)) OR (Melanocyte<nowiki>*</nowiki> NEAR3 (cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor)))
|align = "center"|9
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center" colspan = "4"|'''Final query'''
|align = "center"|'''1 OR 2 OR 3 OR 4'''
|align = "center"|587 hits<br>'''232 unique records'''
|-
|}
===Class codes used in searches===
* '''Relevant IPC classes'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="75%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "4"|'''IPC'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class Code'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class definition'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class coverage'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|A61K003819
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing peptides - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|A61K003821
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing peptides Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|C07K001452
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|C07K014555
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center"|C07K001456
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-alpha
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''6'''
|align = "center"|C07K014565
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-beta
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''7'''
|align = "center"|C07K001457
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-gamma
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''8'''
|align = "center"|A61P003500
|align = "center"|Therapeutic activity of chemical compounds or medicinal preparations -antineoplastic agents
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|}
* '''Relevant ECLA classes'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="75%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "4"|'''ECLA'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class Code'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class definition'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class coverage'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|A61K003819
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing peptides - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|A61K003821
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|A61K38/21A
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing IFN-alpha
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|A61K38/21B
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing IFN-beta
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center"|A61K38/21C
|align = "center"|Medicinal preparations containing IFN-gamma
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''6'''
|align = "center"|C07K001452
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof - Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
|align = "center"|Broad
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''7'''
|align = "center"|C07K014555
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - Interferon
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''8'''
|align = "center"|C07K001456
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-alpha
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''9'''
|align = "center"|C07K014565
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-beta
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''10'''
|align = "center"|C07K001457
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids - IFN-gamma
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''11'''
|align = "center"|C07K014715G
|align = "center"|Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants - for interferons -
|align = "center"|Specific
|-
|}
* '''Relevant US classes'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="50%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "3"|'''US class'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class Code'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Class definition'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|4240854
|align = "center"|DRUG, BIO-AFFECTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - this subclass provides for patents which broadly claim interferon or a method of treatment of interferon where the classification of the interferon as alpha, beta or gamma interferon is impossible
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|4242811
|align = "center"| DRUG, BIO-AFFCTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - Virus (e.g., interferon-inducing virus, etc.)
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|42400141
|align = "center"|DRUG, BIO-AFFECTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - Attached to lymphokine, cytokine, or other secreted growth regulatory factor, differentiation factor, or intercellular mediator specific for a hematopoietic cell (e.g., interferon, interleukin, macrophage factor, colony stimulating factor, erythropoietin); derivative thereof
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|514889
|align = "center"|DRUG, BIO-AFFECTING AND BODY TREATING COMPOSITIONS - INTERFERON INDUCER
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''5'''
|align = "center"|530351
|align = "center"| CHEMISTRY: NATURAL RESINS OR DERIVATIVES; PEPTIDES OR PROTEINS; LIGNINS OR REACTION PRODUCTS THEREOF - Lymphokines, e.g., interferons, interlukins, etc.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''6'''
|align = "center"|930142
|align = "center"|PEPTIDE OR PROTEIN SEQUENCE - Interferon
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''7'''
|align = "center"|4240851
|align = "center"|LYMPHOKINE - Included in this and the indented subclasses interferon, interleukin and macrophage factors (monokines)
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''8'''
|align = "center"|4240855
|align = "center"|Gamma or immune: This subclass is indented under subclass 85.4. Subject matter in which the interferon is gamma or immune interferon.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''9'''
|align = "center"|4240856
|align = "center"|Subject matter in which the interferon is beta or fibroblast interferon.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''10'''
|align = "center"|4240857
|align = "center"|Subject matter in which the interferon is alpha or leukocyte interferon.
|-
|}
===Search in Japanese database===
Database: IPDL (Industrial property digital library), Japan
Date of search: 1900/01/01 to 2009/10/26
'''Total patents: 846 (Relevancy ~10%)'''
* '''F-Terms and theme used in search'''
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="75%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF" colspan = "3"|'''Japanese F-term search'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Definition'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Sr. No.'''
|align = "center"|'''F- Term theme'''
|align = "center"|'''4H045'''
|align = "center"|Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereo
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA15
|align = "center"|Peptide or protein characterised by function - Interferons
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA16
|align = "center"|Alpha-interferons
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA17
|align = "center"|Beta-interferons
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|F-term
|align = "center"|DA18
|align = "center"|Gamma-interferons
|-
|}
==Sample patents==
{|border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''S.No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Patent/Publication No.'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Date of Publication'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Assignee / Applicant'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Inventor(s)'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#99CCFF"|'''Title'''
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''Dolcera Summary'''
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''1'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=20051027&CC=US&NR=2005238621A1&KC=A1 US7482014B2]</u></font>
|align = "center"|1/27/2009
|align = "center"|Schering Corporation
|align = "center"|Rybak, Mary Ellen and Rose, Esther Helen
|align = "center"|Melanoma therapy
|align = "center"|The invention relates to a method of treating a patient having Stage IIB or Stage III melanoma which has been surgically removed. A first dose of 6.0 micrograms/kg of pegylated interferon alpha-2b once a week for eight weeks, and then administering to the patient a second dose of 3.0 or less micrograms/kg of pegylated interferon alpha-2b once a week for the remainder of a five year treatment period.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''2'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19991207&CC=US&NR=5997858A&KC=A US5997858A]</u></font>
|align = "center"|12/7/1999
|align = "center"|Pharma Pacific Pty Ltd.
|align = "center"|Tovey, Michael Gerard and Kaido, Thomas James
|align = "center"|Stimulation of host defense mechanisms against tumors
|align = "center"|A method for treating multiple myeloma, hairy cell leukemia, malignant melanoma, brain tumors etc. by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an interferon (1500 IU to about 20×10<sup>6</sup> IU for a 70 kg man per day) via oromucosal contact.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''3'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19881026&CC=EP&NR=0288055A1&KC=A1 EP288055A1]</u></font>
|align = "center"|10/26/1988
|align = "center"|MERRELL DOW PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
|align = "center"|Sunkara, Sai P.
|align = "center"|Use of ODC inhibitors, dacarbazine, and interferon, in the treatment of malignant melanoma
|align = "center"|A combinational therapy containing an ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, Interferon and Dacarbazine for simultaneous, separate or sequential use in treating rapidly-proliferating cell-growth disease such as melanoma.
|-
|align = "center" bgcolor = "#C0C0C0"|'''4'''
|align = "center"|<font color="#0000FF"><u>[http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19871014&CC=EP&NR=0241242A1&KC=A1 EP241242A1]</u></font>
|align = "center"|10/14/1987
|align = "center"|CETUS ONCOLOGY CORPORATION
|align = "center"|Rudolph, Alfred
|align = "center"|The use of interferon-beta and interleukin-2 for combination therapy and compositions therefor
|align = "center"|A composition comprising of a mixture of lFN- beta and IL-2 for administration to human patients for therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of cancer such as colon cancer, melanoma, renal cell cancer, lung cancer.
|-
|}
