Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, received U.S. Patent No. 6,107,324 titled "Non-Endogenous Constitutively Activated Human Serotonin Receptors and Small Molecule Modulators Thereof." It covers methods of modulating, by inverse agonism, the activity of the human serotonin receptor 5HT2A.

Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., received a U.S. patent covering target gene activation technology known as Robust Activation of Gene Expression (RAGE). It also received a U.S. patent covering a family of drug discovery targets collectively known as NF-AT.

Avigen Inc., of Alameda, Calif., received U.S. Patent No. 6,093,392 covering methods of treating hemophilia B using recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors carrying the gene for the blood-clotting protein factor IX.

BZL Biologics Inc., of New York, received U.S. Patent No. 6,197,090 titled "Treatment and Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer." It covers monoclonal antibodies that bind to the extracellular domain of prostate-specific membrane antigen on living cells as both a diagnostic and a therapeutic agent for prostate cancer.

Cellomics Inc., of Pittsburgh, received U.S. Patent No. 6,103,479 titled "Miniaturized Cell Array Methods and Apparatus for Cell-Based Screening." It covers a method of producing a cassette for cell screening.

Cel-Sci Corp., of Vienna, Va., received U.S. Patent Nos. 6,093,400 and 6,103,239 covering its Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System (LEAPS). It also received U.S. Patent No. 6,096,315 titled "Heterofunctional Cellular Immunological Reagents, Vaccines Containing Same and Methods for the Use of Same." It expands the company's LEAPS protection.

CIStem Molecular Group Inc., of San Diego, received U.S. Patent No. 6,100,035 titled "Method of identifying cis acting nucleic acid elements." It covers identification of active gene regulatory elements.

Collateral Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, received U.S. Patent No.6,100,242 titled "Gene Therapies for Enhancing Cardiac Function." It covers administration of angiogenic genes for the treatment of heart disease.

CombiMatrix Corp., of Snoqualmie, Wash., received an U.S. patent covering the company's biochip array processor system.