Alvine Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Carlos, Calif., was issued U.S. Patent Nos. 7,320,788 and 7,303,871, which cover gluten detoxification with proline-specific prolyl endopeptidases and with mixtures of a PEP and a glutamine-specific protease. Both provide protection for ALV003, the company's lead candidate for celiac disease.

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Malvern, Pa., and Bentley Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Exeter, N.H., were granted U.S. Patent No. 7,320,968, covering Testim 1 percent testosterone gel, which is marketed by Auxilium under a license from Bentley. The patent expires January 2023.

Cannasat Therapeutics, of Toronto, received a favorable decision for its patent application, which is expected to be the basis of at least one of the company's neuropathic pain products. Cannasat develops cannabinoid-based products.

Collegium Pharmaceutical Inc., of Cumberland, R.I., received a notice of allowance for its application, titled "Abuse-Deterrent Pharmaceuticals Compositions of Opioids and Other Drugs." It provides coverage of the company's abuse-deterrent, sustained-release platform, Deterx, which consists of a multiparticulate matrix formulation in a capsule.

CombinatoRx Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., was granted U.S. Patent No. 7,335,371, titled "Combinations for the treatment of inflammatory disorders." It covers the use of combinations of tricyclic antidepressants and glucocorticosteroids and protects CRx-191, its lead topical dermatology candidate.

Geneart AG, of Regensburg, Germany, received U.S. Patent Nos. 7,332,588 and 7,323,557, titled "Genome of the HIV-1 inter-subtype (C/B) and use thereof." Both protect the use of specific custom-designed HIV gene sequences for the development as therapeutics or vaccines.

GenOdyssee SA, of Paris, received a notice of allowance for a patent covering its lead HCV interferon-alpha product GEA007, a naturally occurring mutant of human IFN alpha 17.

Lipoxen plc, of London, received a notice of allowance for a patent covering the encapsulation of DNA inside a liposome, a process designed to protect the DNA from enzyme degradation and allow for more efficient DNA delivery to the immune system.

NanoBio Corp., of Ann Arbor, Mich., received a patent for a needle-free vaccine platform designed to elicit a robust immune response against an array of viruses and bacteria. Rights to that patent were licensed from the University of Michigan.

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Emeryville, Calif., received a patent covering the use of NeutroPhase (NVC-101) in wound care applications. NeutroPhase is a diluted solution of hypochlorous acid, which is rapid-acting in saline with broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties.

Orexigen Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, received a notice of allowance for a patent covering sustained-release compositions of bupropion and naltrexone combined into a single dosage form, Contrave. That product is in late-stage development in obesity.

Pipex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Ann Arbor, Mich., received a notice of allowance for claims covering the use of estrogens in combination with other FDA-approved multiple sclerosis therapies for treating autoimmune diseases. It covers the company's product, Trimesta (oral, once-daily estriol), in development for MS.

Senomyx Inc., of San Diego, was issued five new patents - U.S. Patent Nos. 7,309,577; 7,301,009; 7,297,543; 7,297,772; and 7,294,474 - relating to the human umami and sweet taste receptors.

TapImmune Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, received a notice of allowance for a patent, titled "Method of Enhancing an Immune Response," which covers claims relating to the enhancing of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to tumor cells by introducing the TAP molecule into the infected cell.

VisiGen Biotechnologies Inc., of Houston, received U.S. Patent No. 7,329,492, titled "Methods for Real-time Single Molecule Sequence Determination," relating to its sequencing methodology, which can be used to sequence the genome of a human or other life form.