One new US patent this week

​176 Life Science patents (classification A61K) were issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday 18 October 2016 (click here). None went to Australian but one was granted to a New Zealand assignee.

ManukaMed, a company based at Masterton in the Wellington region, has been granted US Patent 9,469,675 for Anti-inflammatory proteins and methods of preparation and use thereof, which covers  a modified version of the honey glycoprotein apalbumin with greater anti-inflammatory properties than an unmodified apalbumin. The protein comes from Manuka honey, that is, honey from the Manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium) native to New Zealand.

Manuka honey is one of the reasons that we argue New Zealand is on the cusp of a biotech and medical devices boom. To undestand what we mean check out out recent article headlined '100% Bullish on the New Zealand Life Science sector'.

​Over the last twelve months the Australian Life Science sector has been granted 114 US patents, versus 134 in the previous corresponding period. ​​In New Zealand over the last twelve months the Life Science sector has been granted 16 US patents, versus 12 in the previous corresponding period.

To look at US Life Science patent issuance since the beginning of 2014 to Australian assignees, click here. For  US Life Science patent issuance to New Zealand assignees click here.