BioTech IP Review

Publication: U.S. Patent Application US2023018744A1
Published: October 19, 2023
Assignee: Turn Biotechnologies, Inc.
Inventors: Vittorio Sebastiano, Naveen Bojjireddy, Mustafa Turkoz
Subject: mRNA-based rejuvenation of immune cells for therapeutic use

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What This Patent Covers

This patent application claims methods and compositions for generating rejuvenated immune cells, especially T cells, by transiently exposing them to synthetic mRNAs encoding reprogramming factors. The core concepts include:

• Epigenetic reprogramming of immune cells: Using mRNA cocktails (Turn Bio’s ERA™ technology) to partially reprogram aged or dysfunctional T cells so they regain more youthful function and proliferative capacity.
• Compositions comprising rejuvenated cells: The application covers not just the reprogramming method but also the resulting cell populations and their use in therapies for cancer, immune disorders, or age-associated decline in immune function.
• Rejuvenated immune cell therapies: The patent proposes using such cells as therapeutic compositions for treating diseases where immune decline or dysfunction is a key factor — potentially including CAR-T therapies with enhanced persistence and resilience.

This application provides a broad claim set covering how immune cells can be reprogrammed and used therapeutically rather than a single small-molecule or device claim.

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Why It’s Important

1. Addresses a Huge Unmet Clinical Need

Aging and immune dysfunction are central to many diseases — from cancer to chronic infection and autoimmune disorders. Strategies that can rejuvenate T cells and other immune cells could dramatically improve therapies like CAR-T, immunotherapy, and treatment of age-associated immune decline.

2. Enhances Next-Gen Cell Therapies

Preclinical data from Turn Bio indicate their ERA™ epigenetic reprogramming can enhance T-cell proliferation and tumor killing — a key limitation of current engineered cell therapies.
Improved immune cell performance in immunotherapy settings has tens of billions in commercial potential if translated clinically.

3. Platform IP Protecting Broad Therapeutic Use

Instead of protecting a single compound or drug, this IP protects a platform approach — rejuvenating immune cells at the epigenetic level for a range of diseases. Such platform patents are much more valuable because they can underpin multiple downstream products and licensing opportunities.

4. Strategic Positioning in Longevity & Regenerative Medicine

Turn Bio’s ERA™ technology aims to reverse hallmarks of aging at the cellular level, and this patent expands that into the immune system, which is central to both aging and many diseases. Being early in the clinic with preclinical data and FDA interactions (e.g., skin therapies moving toward IND) strengthens the commercial value of IP around cell rejuvenation.

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Summary

• Patent: U.S. Patent Application US2023018744A1
• Published: October 19, 2023
• Assignee: Turn Biotechnologies, Inc.
• Focus: Methods and compositions using Turn Bio’s epigenetic reprogramming (ERA™) mRNAs to rejuvenate immune cells for therapeutic use (e.g., cancer and age-related immune dysfunction).
• Importance: Provides foundational IP for next-generation immune cell therapies and broadens Turn Bio’s platform beyond dermatology and tissue rejuvenation into immune rejuvenation and cell therapy enhancements — a high-value biotech space with major clinical and commercial leverage.