David S Weitz

US Patent:

20160215282, Jul 28, 2016

Filed:

Jan 20, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/001349

Inventors:

- Baltimore MD, US
Andrew B. Feldman - Columbia MD, US
Jared D. Evans - Ellicott City MD, US
Joshua T. Wolfe - Bethesda MD, US
David Weitz - Bolton MA, US
John Heyman - Somerville MA, US
Andrew S. Pekosz - Towson MD, US

International Classification:

C12N 15/10
C07K 16/30
C07K 16/28
C07K 16/44
C07K 16/08
C07K 16/12

Abstract:

A method for synthesizing an antiserum for rapid-turnaround therapies includes collecting antibody-secreting cells from a test subject, wherein the test subject has been exposed to a target biological agent and has produced an antibody response; selecting a subset of the antibody-secreting cells, the subset of the antibody-secreting cells producing antibodies that neutralize the target biological agent; generating variable-region-coding DNA sequences from the antibodies that neutralize the target biological agent; tagging amplicons of the variable-region-coding DNA sequences with unique nucleic acid identifiers to associate the variable-region-coding DNA sequences derived from individual ones of the subset of the antibody-secreting cells; analyzing antibody-type distribution in a natural immune response; synthesizing antibodies from the variable-region-coding DNA sequences to form synthetic antibodies; and mixing the synthetic antibodies in a proportion equal to the antibody-type distribution in the natural immune response to form the antiserum.

US Patent:

20150079115, Mar 19, 2015

Filed:

Sep 16, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/487592

Inventors:

- Baltimore MD, US
Jeffrey S. Lin - Silver Spring MD, US
Kellogg Schwab - Bel Air MD, US
Timothy Julian - Baltimore MD, US
Christiane Wobus - Dexter MI, US
David Weitz - Bolton MA, US
David Heyman - Somerville MA, US

International Classification:

A61K 39/44
A23L 1/30
A61K 47/48

US Classification:

4241781, 435 5

Abstract:

Food products and/or pharmaceutical preparations including (i) viral neutralizing antibodies or antibody fragments anchored to a probiotic microorganism and (ii) a carrier medium for delivering the viral neutralizing antibodies or antibody fragments anchored to probiotic microorganisms to the gut of a mammal. Also provided are methods of making food products and/or pharmaceutical preparations, which can be used to treat existing viral infections or prevent the spread or transmission of viral infection.

US Patent:

20150024378, Jan 22, 2015

Filed:

Jul 15, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/331714

Inventors:

- Baltimore MD, US
Jeffrey S. Lin - Silver Spring MD, US
David Weitz - Bolton MA, US
Assaf Rotem - Cambridge MA, US

International Classification:

C12Q 1/68

US Classification:

435 5, 435 611

Abstract:

Methods for analyzing DNA-containing samples are provided. The methods can comprise isolating a single genomic equivalent of DNA from the DNA-containing sample to provide a single isolated DNA molecule. The single isolated DNA molecule can be subjected to amplification conditions in the presence of one or more sets of unique molecularly tagged primers to provide one or more amplicons. Any spurious allelic sequences generated during the amplification process are tagged with an identical molecular tag. The methods can also include a step of determining the sequence of the one or more amplicons, in which the majority sequence for each code is selected as the sequence of the single original encapsulated target. The DNA-containing sample can be a forensic sample (e.g., mixed contributor sample), a fetal genetic screening sample, or a biological cell.