VASTox plc, of Oxford, UK, was granted a patent relating to its drug discovery program in Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. It provides additional protection to the company's approach of using small drug-like molecules to increase levels of utrophin, which could replace dystrophin, a similar protein that is missing in DMD patients.

Vaxiion Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, was issued U.S. Patent No. 7,183,105, titled "Eubacterial minicells and their use as vectors for nucleic acid delivery and expression." It broadly relates to compositions and methods of using the company's minicells as vaccine delivery vehicles.