The following is a patent which is assigned to Calgene and Abbott regarding
the use of PUFA's (polyunsaturated fatty acids).  DHA and AA are PUFA's and
specifically mentioned in this patent.  It seems that they will be making
recombinants (genetically engineered) to imitate the action of polyunsaturated fatty
acids for use in their infant formula.  The reasoning for using these
recombinants should be of interest to breastfeeding advocates.

Also, in a number of patents I have seen referenced a study called "Potential
Therapeutic Usefullness of Lactoferrin in Leukemia" by Broxmeyer. The
interesting thing about this study is that it is in Nestle Research News
1984/1985--page 93 (1986)

This patenting of human milk components by the infant formula and
pharmaceutical industries creates the need to keep silent about the enormous therapeutic
potential of human milk components/proteins.  The risks of infant formula are
glossed over in order to sell their products. These industries will profit
greatly.  Their new products involve the use of novel ingredients (genetic
engineering included) and infants in the case of infant formula become guinea pigs
to biotechnological advances.
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html
"Methods and compositions for synthesis of long chain poly-unsaturated fatty
acids"
patent #6410288
inventors:  Knutson, et al.
assigned:  Calgene, Abbott Labs
filed in 1999, accepted in 2002

"Several disorders respond to treatment with fatty acids. Supplementation
with PUFAs has been shown to reduce the rate of restenosis after angioplasty.
Fish oil supplements have been shown to improve symptoms of inflammation and
rheumatoid arthritis, and PUFAs have been suggested as treatments for asthma and
psoriasis. Evidence indicates that PUFAs may be involved in calcium metabolism,
suggesting that PUFAs may be useful in the treatment or prevention of
osteoporosis and of kidney or urinary tract stones.

PUFAs can be used in the treatment of cancer. Malignant cells have been shown
to have altered fatty acid compositions; addition of fatty acids has been
shown to slow their growth and cause cell death, and to increase their
susceptibility to chemotherapeutic agents. GLA has been shown to cause reexpression on
cancer cells of the E-cadherin cellular adhesion molecules, loss of which is
associated with aggressive metastasis. Clinical testing of intravenous
administration of the water soluble lithium salt of GLA to pancreatic cancer patients
produced statistically significant increases in their survival. PUFA
supplementation may also be useful for treating cachexia associated with cancer.

PUFAs also can be used to treat diabetes (U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,877; Horrobin
et al., Am. J. Clin. Nutr. Vol. 57 (Suppl.), 732S-737S). Altered fatty acid
metabolism and composition has been demonstrated in diabetic animals. These
alterations have been suggested to be involved in some of the long-term
complications resulting from diabetes, including retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy and
reproductive system damage. Primrose oil, which contains GLA, has been shown
to prevent and reverse diabetic nerve damage. "




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