patent related
Burcon Nutrascience Corp - Receives Notice Of Allowance From The United States Patent And Trademark Office
4 February 2010
BURCON NUTRASCIENCE CORP ("BU-T") - Receives Notice Of Allowance From The United States Patent And - Trademark Office Burcon NutraScience Corporation ("Burcon"or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has received anotice of allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Officefor a patent application covering processes for the production ofcanola protein isolates whereby the resulting isolates are separatedinto their native underlying protein fractions. A notice of allowancefrom the United States Patent and Trademark Office is a writtennotification that a patent application has cleared internal review andis nearing issuance. Canola offers a unique amino acid profile, rich insulfur-containing amino acids, an abundant source of protein, and twodistinct protein fractions: napin and cruciferin. Napin is an albuminstorage protein and cruciferin is a globulin storage protein.
Burcon's proprietary process allows for the separation ofthese two distinct fractions resulting in a cruciferin-rich canolaprotein isolate Puratein(R) and a napin-rich canola protein isolateSupertein(TM). In addition to their inherent nutritional value, theseprotein ingredients possess distinct characteristic functionalproperties. Puratein(R) has emulsifying, gelling, and bindingproperties that make it suitable for use in food applications includingsauces, dressings, meat substitutes, baked goods and bars. Thefunctional properties of Supertein(TM) include excellent solubility,the ability to form transparent solutions, foaming and nutrition.Applications for Supertein(TM) include beverages, confectionery,aerated desserts, and protein bars, among many others.
"The two naturally occurring proteins in canola have highly distinctfunctional and nutritional characteristics, similar to the way that thetwo proteins in egg, egg-yolk and egg-white, have distinctcharacteristics ," said Johann F. Tergesen, President and ChiefOperating Officer, adding, "Our patented processes for the productionof Puratein(R) and Supertein(TM) canola protein isolates create twodistinct protein ingredients with separate nutritional and functionalprofiles allowing for their use in specific food and beverageapplications."
To-date, Burcon's patent portfolio consists of 115 issuedpatents in various countries, including 12 issued U.S. patents, and inexcess of 200 additional pending patent applications, 68 of which areU.S. patent applications. Six of Burcon's 68 U.S. patentapplications have now been allowed, including the patent allowancewhich is the subject of this news release, and will be issued asgranted U.S. patents in the near future.