Patent ID: 6864053

Claim:
A method for determining an amount of human host cell genomic DNA in a biological product isolated or purified from the human host cell or spent culture medium, said method comprising: (a) hybridizing at least one nucleic acid probe and/or at least one primer to a human endogenous retrovirus-like H (HERV-H) gene family genomic DNA in said biological product, wherein said probes and/or primers specifically hybridize to said HERV-H gene family genomic DNA; (b) detecting said probe or said primer bound to said HERV-H gene family genomic DNA; (c) determining an amount of said HERV-H gene family genomic DNA in said biological product; and (d) determining an amount of host cell genomic DNA in said biological product based on the amount of said HERV-H gene family genomic DNA in said biological product.