Ann,

Already a patent on this--breastfeed component reduces obesity.  Patent #
6475984 called,  "Administration of leptin"  with the inventor Kirwin et al.
and the assignee being the Nemours Foundation.  This patent uses
leptin-containing milk fat globules (derived from human milk NOT
recombinants) to treat newborns/premature infants with growth disorders and
as a treatment for obesity, sterility, sexual immaturity, malnutrition,
compromised immunity, psychiatric disorders, diabetes.  There are close to 3
pages of references on this.  Leptin, a protein, is produced by the placenta,
the gastric epithelium, and the mammary gland.  "The suspended milk fat
globules may be administered orally as well as by intravenous, intramuscular,
intraperitoneal, other enteral routes of administration, and other parenteral
routes of administration."  This was filed in 1999.  Patents cost about
$10,000-$15,000 a piece to obtain and there are maintainance fees.  Patenting
is serious business and most patent attorneys believe that no one patents
these "inventions" without intending to market them.  I find this patent
fascinating....very fascinating.  I hope the women who donated their milk for
this patent were rewarded well for their efforts.  One must wonder where they
will get their continued supply of human milk fat for their invention?  Is
there a milk bank in Wilmington, Delaware?
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html