US Patent 7892781 - Metal nanoparticle bioprobe

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7892781.html

This latest patent from Nanoprobes Inc. has priority going back to 2001 and includes some basic claims to nanoparticle biomarkers. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composite probe, comprising:

at least one directing agent for attaching the composite probe to a target in a test sample;

at least one nanoparticle conjugated to the at least one directing agent, the at least one nanoparticle comprising a plurality of metal atoms; and

an enzyme, chemically linked to the at least one directing agent, for reacting with an enzyme substrate after the composite probe is bound to the target.

US Patent 7530940 - Nanoparticle enhanced radiation therapy

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7530940.html

This patent from a company called NanoProbes appears fundamental to the treatment of tumors using metallic (e.g. gold) nanoparticles. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of enhancing the effects of radiation directed to a tissue or a population of cells in an animal comprising:

administering an amount of metal nanoparticles to said animal and subsequently irradiating the animal with radiation directed to said tissue or said population of cells,

wherein said radiation is in a form selected from the group consisting of x-rays, microbeam arrays of x-rays, radioisotopes, electrons, protons, ion beams, and neutrons,

wherein said metal nanoparticles are administered to said animal in an amount to achieve a concentration in said tissue or said population of cells in the animal of at least about 0.1% metal by weight.

However, one patent which appears to have been overlooked during the Examination is US 6,530,944 from Rice University the abstract of which reads:

This invention is generally in the field of improved methods for the localized delivery of heat and the localized imaging of biological materials. The delivery may be in vitro or in vivo and is useful for the localized treatment of cancer, inflammation or other disorders involving overproliferation of tissue. The method is also useful for diagnostic imaging. The method involves localized induction of hyperthermia in a cell or tissue by delivering nanoparticles to said cell or tissue and exposing the nanoparticles to an excitation source under conditions wherein they emit heat.

US Patent 7367934 - Enhancement of tumor treatment using metal nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7367934.html

This patent from a company called Nanoprobes teaches using metal nanoparticles to enhance x-rays for treating tumors. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for enhancing the effects of radiation directed to a tissue or a population of cells in an animal, comprising

administering an amount of metal nanoparticles to said animal to achieve a concentration in said tissue or said population of cells of the animal of at least about 0.1% metal by weight; and

subsequently irradiating the animal with radiation directed to said tissue or said population of cells, wherein said radiation is in the form of x-rays of about 1 keV to about 25,000 keV.