Biolog Inc., of Hayward, Calif., was awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,696,239 on its Phenotype MicroArray technology.

Cepheid Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,713,297 titled "Apparatus for Quantitative Analysis of a Nucleic Acid Amplification Reaction," covering an instrument for amplifying and detecting nucleic acids.

Genaera Corp., of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., received U.S. Patent No. 6,716,603 titled "Nucleic Acids Encoding a Chloride Channel Protein," covering the composition of matter of the gene for the human calcium-activated chloride channel and methods for producing the encoded protein.

Interleukin Genetics Inc., of Waltham Mass., was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,713,253 B1 for a method that uses specific genetic markers to identify diabetics who have an increased risk of sight-threatening retinopathy.

Kibow Biotech Inc., of Philadelphia, was awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,706,263 B2 titled "Compositions for Alleviating Symptoms of Uremia in Patients," and No. 6, 706,287 B2 titled "Prebiotic and Probiotic Compositions and Methods for Their Use in Gut-Based Therapies."

MorphoSys AG, of Martinsried, Germany, was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,696,248 titled "Protein/(Poly)Peptide Libraries," which relates to its HuCAL technology. The company also received U.S. Patent No. 6,692,935 B1 titled "Targeted Hetero-Association of Recombinant Proteins to Multi-Functional Complexes," which covers certain methods for the development of multifunctional protein complexes.

Nanobac Pharmaceuticlas Inc., of Tampa, Fla., was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,706,290 titled "Methods for Eradification of Nanobacteria."

Nanogen Inc., of San Diego, was awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,706,473 titled "Systems and Devices for Photoelectrophoretic Transport and Hybridization of Oligonucleotides."

NuGEN Technologies Inc., of San Carlos, Calif., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,686,156, which protects exponential isothermal nucleic acid amplification, and No. 6,692,918, which protects methods and kits for isothermal linear nucleic acid amplification.

PharmaSeq Inc., of Monmouth Junction, N.J., received U.S. Patent No. 6,686,158 titled "Electronically Indexed Solid-Phase Assay for Biomolecules," describing a method to use microtransponders in assays with multiple analytes.

Phylonix Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,656,449 titled "Methods of Screening Agents for Activity Using Teleosts," which includes claims for drug screening on zebrafish using microtiter plates.