Forget Gene Patents. Co-founder of 23andMe Patents Personalized Genomics

Link (h/t: @dgmacarthur)

The patent is issued to Affymetrix and was filed in 2007.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of using information about an individual’s genotype to select products and services for that individual, comprising: receiving a plurality of genotype calls for a plurality of polymorphisms, wherein each genotype call identifies the individual’s genotype at each polymorphism; assigning a plurality of genotag identifiers for each genotype call, wherein the plurality of genotag identifiers comprises an identifier of chromosome, an identifier of genomic position and an identifier of the genotype call, wherein the plurality of genotag identifiers does not comprise nucleic acid sequence data, and wherein the plurality of genotag identifiers is electronically identifiable, readable by computer softwares, and stored in a storage database; associating in a relational database, each genotag identifier with information from a plurality of dynamic databases, thereby producing a plurality of associated genotag identifiers, wherein the plurality of dynamic databases comprises a first database containing information about disease diagnostics, a second database containing information about pharmaceuticals and a third database containing consumer information, and wherein the plurality of dynamic databases is updated in accordance with a a schedule; determining a relative ranking of each associated genotag identifier, wherein the ranking is indicative of information quality or association strength; generating a set of search results in response to a search initiated by a user over a data network, wherein the search comprises using at least one of the associated genotag identifiers, wherein the set of search results are ranked using the relative ranking, thereby providing search results customized for the individual; and outputting to the user the set of search results from the generating step, wherein all steps of the method are performed on a computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the genotype calls are generated by hybridization of a genomic sample from the individual to a biological probe array.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results are used by the user to select products or services for the individual.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the individual’s genotag identifiers are transmitted over a data network to provide a match to select the products or services.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the individual’s genotag identifiers are transmitted over a network to provide a match to select the products or services based on criteria such as phenotype, genotype, physical condition, qualities, traits, diseases, states, gene data, expression or protein information, location, community information, interests, habits, preferences, and allergies.

6. A computer-implemented method to automatically match genotyping information to information about commercial products or services and to provide the information about commercial products or services to a user as a list of search results, comprising: obtaining a plurality of genotype calls from an individual wherein each genotype call identifies the genotype of the individual at a polymorphism; assigning a plurality of genotag identifiers to the plurality of genotype calls by means of a computer, wherein each genotag identifier is an electronic tag indicative of a fixed characteristic of each genotype call, and wherein each genotag identifier does not comprise nucleic acid sequence data; storing the plurality of genotag identifiers in a first database; using a computer processor to match at least one of the plurality of genotag identifiers in the first database to commercial products or services in response to a search initiated by the user over a data network, wherein the at least one genotag identifier is compared to a second database of search terms associated with characteristics of individuals, thereby obtaining search results; and outputting the search results to the user.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the second database comprises a disease diagnostic annotation database, a pharmaceutical annotation database and a public service annotation database.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the database of search terms comprises terms associated with characteristics of individuals selected from the following: phenotype, genotype, physical condition, qualities, traits, diseases, states, gene data, expression or protein information, location, community information, interests, habits, preferences, and allergies.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein drug treatment is recommended based on the search results.

10. A system to automatically match genotyping information to commercial products or services, comprising: a computer having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor to store a plurality of genotype calls derived from an individual, wherein each genotype call is associated with a different polymorphism and is indicative of the individual’s genotype at that polymorphism; computer instructions for assigning a plurality of genotag identifiers for each genotype call, wherein each genotag identifier is electronically identifiable and an indicator of a physical feature of the polymorphism associated with the genotype call, and wherein genotag identifier does not comprise nucleic acid sequence data; an associator to match the plurality of genotag identifiers with information or search terms in a database of information or search terms associated with characteristics of individuals based on genotype, wherein the information in the database is dynamic and is updated at least weekly; computer instructions for matching the information or search terms matched with the plurality of genotag identifiers to commercial products or services in response to a search initiated by the user over a network; and a computer configured for providing a list of search results to the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising recommending to the individual, social connections with one or more different individuals in a network, based on a predicted common interest, wherein the individual’s genotag identifiers are used to predict common interest.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising recommending to the individual, social connections with one or more different individuals in a network, based on a predicted common interest in disease management, wherein the individual’s genotag identifiers are used to predict common interest in disease management.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising recommending to the individual, social connections with one or more different individuals in a network, based on a predicted common interest in involvement in a particular community, wherein the individual’s genotag identifiers are used to predict common interest in involvement a particular community.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results are provided to the user by electronic mail over the Internet.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results are provided to the user by cellular phone.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the biological probe array comprises probes for genotyping 500,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining a plurality of genotag identifiers to form a signature and assigning an electronic identifier to the signature.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the genotag identifiers and the user’s IP address are registered in a proprietary environment.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the search results are provided to the user as an electronic mail using PUSH technology.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the search results are provided to the user by PUSH technology.

….which essentially includes all bioinformatics related to personal genomics. The patent even goes to the extent of covering information transfer through emails, cell phone, etc. Also note that it is not specific to humans, but possibly cows cannot be ‘users’ in legal sense until they learn to check their ipads.

In a nutshell, anything goes !!

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We are not sure whether the part - “The method of claim 1, wherein the genotype calls are generated by hybridization of a genomic sample from the individual to a biological probe array” - restricts the patent to arrays, which used to be the entire world universe to Affymetrix in 2007.