Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Enzyme component of specific activity or source
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-20
2003-11-04
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Enzyme component of specific activity or source
C510S119000, C510S122000, C510S130000, C510S138000, C510S137000, C510S141000, C510S151000, C510S158000, C510S159000, C510S372000, C510S283000, C510S286000, C510S299000, C510S300000, C510S302000, C510S303000, C510S305000, C510S308000, C510S343000, C510S374000, C510S394000, C510S375000, C510S379000, C510S380000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06642196
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of delivering a benefit agent to a surface. More in particular, it relates to a method whereby a benefit agent is loaded to a first surface and subsequently unloaded and transferred and delivered to a second surface. In a preferred embodiment, it relates to the transfer of benefit agent, loaded on to a garment during the washing process, and subsequent delivery of the benefit agent to another surface.
BACKGROUND
Conventionally, benefit agents, such as bleach and perfume, are incorporated in detergent compositions, adsorbed onto surfaces, and act on the garments during the washing process. After the washing process, the effects are generally short-lived. In addition, large quantities of benefit have to be present to achieve an effect.
WO-A-98/56885 (Unilever) discloses a bleaching enzyme which is capable of generating a bleaching chemical and having a high binding affinity for stains present on fabrics, as well as an enzymatic bleaching composition comprising said bleaching enzyme, and a process for bleaching stains on fabrics. The binding affinity may be formed by a part of the polypeptide chain of the bleaching enzyme, or the enzyme may comprise an enzyme part which is capable of generating a bleach chemical that is coupled to a reagent having the high binding affinity for stains present on fabrics. In the latter case the reagent may be bispecific, comprising one specificity for stain and one for enzyme. Examples of such bispecific reagents mentioned in the disclosure are antibodies, especially those derived from Camelidae having only a variable region of the heavy chain polypeptide (V
HH
), peptides, peptidomimics, and other organic molecules. The enzyme which is covalently bound to one functional site of the antibody usually is an oxidase, such as glucose oxidase, galactose oxidase and alcohol oxidase, which is capable of forming hydrogen peroxide or another bleaching agent. Thus, if the multi-specific reagent is an antibody, the enzyme forms an enzyme/antibody conjugate which constitutes one ingredient of a detergent composition. During washing, said enzyme/antibody conjugate of the detergent composition is targeted to stains on the clothes by another functional site of the antibody, while the conjugated enzyme catalyzes the formation of a bleaching agent in the proximity of the stain and the stain will be subjected to bleaching.
WO-A-98/00500 (Unilever) discloses detergent compositions wherein a benefit agent is delivered onto fabric by means of peptide or protein deposition aid having a high affinity for fabric. The benefit agent can be a fabric softening agent, perfume, polymeric lubricant, photosensitive agent, latex, resin, dye fixative agent, encapsulated material, antioxidant, insecticide, soil repelling agent, or a soil release agent. The benefit agent is attached or adsorbed to a peptide or protein deposition aid having a high affinity to fabric. Preferably, the deposition aid is a fusion protein containing the cellulose binding domain of a cellulase enzyme. The compositions are said to effectively deposit the benefit agent onto the fabric during the laundering process.
According to DE-A-196 21 224 (Henkel), the transfer of textile dyes from one garment to another during a washing or rinsing process may be inhibited by adding antibodies against the textile dye to the wash or rinse liquid.
WO-A-98/07820 (P&G) discloses amongst others rinse treatment compositions containing antibodies directed at cellulase and standard softener actives (such as DEQA). WO 99/27368 describes the use of a displaceable moiety able to bind to 2 different surfaces. However, all interactions are specific (to an analyte of interest and a mimitope) and the assay is specifically aimed at measuring an analyte of interest for a Unipath application.
There is a need for extending the length of time that a benefit acts on the garment after the washing process. There is also a need to transfer the benefit agent from the garment onto another surface, for example during wearing or storage of the garment, thereby extending the scope of benefit that can be delivered and achieved.
Surprisingly, it has now been found that antibodies can bind to one surface through non-specific charge interaction and then unload on to a second surface through specific e.g. antigen/antibody interactions. Opportunities for other non-specific interactions include e.g. charge, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, trapping due to size constraints.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, a benefit agent is first loaded to a surface and subsequently unloaded and transferred and delivered to a second surface. The benefit agent is chosen to impart a benefit onto the surface, which may be a garment, skin, or a ligand thereof. For skin applications, this benefit agent can be bleach, moisturisers, skin softeners (e.g. silicones), emollients, sunscreens, lipids, vitamins, anti-microbial agents, anti-aging benefits, anti-perspirants, skin lightening agents, fabripseuticals, skin-sensory cues (such as menthol, capsasin, silicones) and chemicals. For laundry, the beneft agent can be in the form of a bleaching agent (produced by, for example, bleaching enzymes) that can de-colourise stains, fragrances, colour enhancers, fabric regenerators, softening agents, finishing agents/protective agents, and the like. These will be described in more detail below. The benefit agent may be encapsulated in sensitised particles, bound directly to reagent as a fusion construct, or bound to antibody as a bi-head (WO-A-99/23221). The term antibody includes monoclonal and antibody fragments (scFv, Fab, Fv, VHH, camelised VH).
The benefit agent is loaded onto the first surface by means of a carrying agent. The reagents carrying the benefit agent can bind specifically or non-specifically to surfaces and then bind to a second surface via specific or non-specific interactions. The possible scenarios are depicted in
FIG. 1
, which shows the binding of the carrying agent/benefit agent through non-specific interaction (A, C) to the first surface and the subsequent unloading of carrying agent/benefit agent through non-specific (C) or specific (A) interactions with a second surface.
Where specific interactions are involved for binding to both surfaces, then displacement to the second surface may result from the reagent having an increased affinity for the second surface over the first. The unloading of the benefit agent may result from pH changes, pressure/abrasion, affinity of the benefit being greater for the second surface than the reagent. Surfaces can be loaded with benefit agent through protein, antibody, peptide, DNA or carbohydrate interactions.
For laundry applications, the primary surface to be loaded with antibody is the fabric. Specifically for laundry applications, the reagent may be loaded all over the garment or be targeted to a specific site, e.g. a site of damage or the underarm region.
As used herein, the term “multi-specific binding molecule” means a molecule which at least can associate onto fabric and also capture benefit agent. Similarly, the term “bi-specific binding molecule” as used herein indicates a molecule which can associate onto fabric and capture benefit agent.
In the first step the binding molecule carrying the benefit agent is directly delivered to the fabric, for example a garment, preferably at relatively high concentration, thus enabling the loading of the benefit agent to the fabric in an efficient way.
Examples of the second surface for the subsequent loading include skin, microbes, lipids, steroids, fabric, ligand thereof. For non-laundry applications, the surfaces can be plastic, metal, polystyrene (exemplified in Example 3), hair (whereby the second surface could be a yeast causing dandruff), or a cleaning cloth whereby the second surface is a microbe. Another way of carrying out the invention is to use binding molecules to remove unwanted components from the first surface, e.g. soil or microbes.
In a second step, the carrying agent is con
Howell Steven
Little Julie
Parry Neil James
Van Der Logt Cornelis Paul
Gupta Yogendra N.
Kumar Preeti
Mitelman Rimma
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA , division of Conopco, Inc.
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