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23 April 2026

US patent advances sustainable purification of high-purity IgY antibodies

US patent advances sustainable purification of high-purity IgY antibodies

A patented process enabling the purification of high-quality antibodies from egg yolk has been granted in the United States, marking a significant step in the development of sustainable biopharmaceutical technologies. The innovation, developed by researchers affiliated with CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials and the Department of Chemistry of the University of Aveiro, is now protected under US patent US12378283B2 (link).

The patented technology, titled “Process for purifying an antibody from egg yolk, products and uses thereof”, enables the efficient and sustainable isolation of Immunoglobulin Y (IgY), an antibody naturally present in egg yolk. The process achieves purity levels approaching 100%, addressing long-standing challenges in antibody extraction and stabilisation.

The invention is credited to Mara G. Freire, Sandra Cristina Bernardo, and João Coutinho. Their work underpins the technological portfolio of RYA Purification Technologies, a company focused on IgY-based solutions for infectious diseases.

This purification platform supports the development of next-generation biopharmaceuticals, particularly targeting infectious diseases. IgY antibodies offer advantages over conventional mammalian antibodies, including reduced immunogenicity in humans and scalable, non-invasive production. The newly patented method enhances these benefits by providing a robust and environmentally sustainable purification route.

The technology was developed and validated in the European Research Council-funded projects IgYPurTech and PureIgY, both led by Mara Freire. These projects have contributed to advancing the possibility of having IgY-based therapeutics, positioning them as viable alternatives in the global effort to combat infectious diseases.

According to the inventors, the process also enables broader applications beyond therapeutics, including diagnostics and functional biomaterials, reinforcing the versatility of IgY antibodies in the biomedical field.

The granting of this patent in the United States consolidates international recognition of the technology and strengthens its pathway towards industrial application and market deployment.

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