Newly granted patent: U.S. Patent No. 12,281,171 B2, “Periostin Antibodies and Methods of Using the Same”

What’s the problem? 
Some cancers create a unique “signal” by adding a rare sugar modification to proteins like periostin. This tumor-specific marker could help identify and target cancer, but it’s extremely difficult to detect. Traditional tools often miss it because these sugar structures are hard for the immune system to recognize. 

What does this technology do? 
This patent covers a new monoclonal antibody, C9, that targets the sugar marker not the whole protein. Using samples from ovarian cancer patients, inventors at UAMS identified an antibody that binds precisely to this cancer-specific structure. 
In mouse models, this C9 antibody successfully located and attached to tumors, showing strong potential for cancer imaging and targeted treatment.