Oxford BioMedica plc, of Oxford, UK, received a notice of allowance to extend patent protection of TroVax, its lead cancer vaccine. The patent would cover immunotherapy approaches directed against the 5T4 tumor antigen.

Samaritan Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Las Vegas, was granted a patent titled "DNA Encoding Peripheral-Type Benzodiazepine Receptor Associated Protein 7, and Application or Methods of Use." Samaritan holds exclusive license to the patent from its partner, Georgetown University in Washington.

Source MDx, of Boulder, Colo., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,964,850, granting the company exclusive use of multigene indexes for RNA and protein-based molecular biomarkers to track an individual's health, disease status and response to drug therapy.