Aldagen Inc., of Durham, N.C., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,991,897, titled "A Method of Isolating Stem Cells," describing methods of isolating adult stem cells from various sources based on the elevated intracellular enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase, as a stem cell marker.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., received a notice of allowance for a patent application in the Tuschl II series, aimed at broadly covering methods for preparing small interfering RNAs.

Androclus Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, received U.S. Patent No. 6,989,146, titled "Stress Proteins and Peptides and Methods of Use Thereof," which describes HLA pan DR peptides derived from heat-shock proteins and methods for using such peptides to modulate, block or inhibit immune responses for treatment of immune-mediated conditions.

Cel-Sci Corp., of Vienna, Va., received U.S. Patent No. 6,995,237, titled "Preparation and composition of peptides useful for treatment of autoimmune and transplant-related graft-vs.-host conditions." That patent relates to the company’s L.E.A.P.S. peptide vaccine technology.

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, received U.S. Patent No. 6,987,103, titled "Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, resistant or intolerant to ST1571, involving homoharringtonine alone or combined with other agents." It covers ChemGenex’s lead drug, Ceflatonin.

Dynogen Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Waltham, Mass., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,967,207, covering the use of DDP733 (pumosetrag) for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

EntreMed Inc., of Rockville, Md., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,995,278, covering analogues of its lead compound, 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2, or Panzem), which is in clinical trials in cancer and preclinical development for inflammatory disorders.

Enzo Biochem Inc., of Farmingdale, N.Y., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,986,985, titled "Process for Producing Multiple Nucleic Acid Copies in Vivo using a Protein Nucleic Acid Construct." That covers processes for producing large quantities of proteins or RNAs within living target cells. The company also received U.S. Patent No. 6,992,180, titled "Oligo-or polynucleotide comprising phosphate-moiety labeled nucleotides," describing techniques applicable to a variety of DNA diagnostic and medical research products.

EPIX Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., received U.S. Patent No. 6,991,775, titled "Peptide-based Multimeric Targeted Contrast Agents," covering a family of peptides and peptide derivatives that bind with high specificity to fibrin.

Halozyme Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, received a notice of allowance to both natural and recombinant forms of HTI-101, covering claims to a human enzyme normally found in the bloodstream with a mechanism of action that is distinct from its FDA-approved rHuPH20 enzyme.

Hana Biosciences Inc., of South San Francisco, received U.S. Patent No. 6,989,386, relating to Talotrexin compositions and methods using Talotrexin compositions for cancer treatment.

Introgen Therapeutics Inc., of Austin, Texas, was awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,989,375, which covers claims such as the administration of chemotherapeutic drugs, radiation therapies, or other agents followed by administration of a desired therapeutic gene like Introgen’s molecular therapies.

Isotechnika Inc., of Edmonton, Alberta, was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,998,385, titled "Cyclosporine Analogue Mixtures and Their Use as Immunomodulating Agents," and relating to mixtures of cis- and transisomers of its lead immunosuppressive drug, ISA247.

MannKind Corp., of Valencia, Calif., received U.S. Patent No. 6,994,851, covering methods of obtaining a sustained cytotoxic T-cell response by delivery of antigen to the lymphatic system, and maintaining the antigen in the lymphatic system over time. MannKind also received U.S. Patent No. 6,977,074, claiming methods of inducing a CTL response by delivering antigen directly to a lymph node or lymph vessel.