Yes, it is such a good thing that it is patented. Bile salt-activated lipase
is not in cow's milk or infant formulas (or should I say was not?).  There are
a number of patents on this lipase.  This patent was filed in 1987 and one
must wonder if it is in use--the patent mentions Mead Johnson and Ross formulas.
 Anyway, interesting how research on human milk results in patenting and
better infant formulas.  Of course, then we have enhanced infant formulas and who
would want to breastfeed since we have enhanced, just like breastmilk
formulas....
Valerie W. McClain

Patent # 4944944

"BAL may be isolated from milk and purified for use in accordance with the
present invention. A preferred method for isolating BAL from milk is described
by Wang and Johnson. [Anal. Biochem. 133:457-461 (1983)]. This method utilizes
affinity chromatography wherein the enzyme is collected using a cholate
Sepharose support. Lactoferrin is removed using a heparin Sepharose support. Using
this technique, about 30 mg of purified enzyme may be obtained from 450 ml of
human skim milk. Preferably, the end product will be lyophilized. It then may
be used later in the powdered state or resolubilized. If the enzyme is stored
in solution, it should be kept under refrigeration.

Alternately and preferably, BAL may be produced using now well established
recombinant DNA technology. This artificial production of bile salt-activated
lipase will be more economical and efficient than purification processes.
Several procedures are suitable. For example, the complement DNA of human BAL may be
isolated and used to engineer expression vectors for synthesis of the enzyme
in microorganisms, or in mammalian or other cell lines. A source of the
messenger RNA of human BAL in human mammary gland cell lines, ATCC No. HBL-100, is
available from American Type Culture Collection (Rockville, Md). Another source
of complement DNA of human BAL is the cDNA libraries of lactating human
breast tissue in .lambda. phages (.lambda. gt 10 and .lambda. gt 11) which may be
obtained from Clontech Laboratories, Inc. (Palo Alto, Calif.). "




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