Provectus Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn., received a notice of allowance for a patent protecting therapeutic agents based on a radiodense analogue of its lead product, PV-10. It covers agents used in conjunction with radiation therapy to improve the efficiency and specificity of radiation for oncology. Provectus also received allowance for a patent covering therapeutic agents based on a photoactive analogue of PH-10, its lead photodynamic product.

Regulus Therapeutics, of Cambridge, Mass., received a notice of allowance for the "Sarnow" patent, which covers methods for targeting specific microRNA to inhibit hepatitis C virus replication, namely the liver-specific microRNA miR-122.

Start Licensing Inc., of Austin, Texas, was granted U.S. Patent Nos. 7,304,204 and 7,307,198, covering methods of cloning ungulate animals, fetuses and embryos using differentiated cells. Both are part of a portfolio of patents and applications owned by the Roslin Institute and exclusively licensed to Start.

Theratechnologies Inc., of Montreal, received U.S. Patent No. 7,316,997, titled "GH Secretagogues and Uses Thereof," which covers methods of treating HIV-associated lipodystrophy using the company's lead drug, tesamorelin (TH9057).

Vermillion Inc., of Fremont, Calif., received U.S. Patent No. 7,297,556, which covers methods of aiding diagnoses of nephritic syndrome, a kidney disorder marked by very high or low levels of protein in the urine.

Xencor Inc., of Monrovia, Calif., received U.S. Patent No. 7,317,091 B1, titled "Optimized Fc Variants," which relates to the Protein Design Automation technology. It covers the company's XmAb antibody Fc engineering technology.