Adherex Technologies Inc., of Ottawa, Ontario, was issued a U.S. patent for methods of diagnosing and evaluating the status and progression of cancer, providing the technological basis for mapping the cadherin profile on cancer cells.

Cell Therapeutics Inc., of Seattle, was issued a notice of allowance for a patent application that includes coverage directed at Trisenox (arsenic trioxide) injection, its drug for acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Commonwealth Biotechnologies Inc., of Richmond, Va., received a notice of allowance for a patent application titled "Adsorption and Removal of Endotoxin from Physiological Fluids using Cationic Helix Peptides."

Curis Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,683,192 titled "Small Organic Molecule Regulators of Cell Proliferation," covering specific small-molecule compounds that activate the Hedgehog signaling pathway. The company also was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,686,388 titled "Regulators of the Hedgehog Pathway, Compositions and Uses Related Thereto," covering methods of inhibiting the altered growth of cells that occurs as a result of abnormal activation of the pathway.

Esperion Therapeutics Inc., of Ann Arbor, Mich., was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,673,780 titled "Sulfoxide and Bis-sulfoxide Compounds and Compositions for Cholesterol Management and Related Uses," covering new chemical compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and methods for use in treating cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, dyslipoproteinemia and hypertension. Esperion was aquired by Pfizer.

Immtech International Inc., of Vernon Hills, Ill., received U.S. Patent No. 6,635,668 directed to aromatic amidine compounds, which target Imidazoline receptors in the brain and other organs, with potential applications in treating Alzheimer's disease.

Meridian Bioscience Inc., of Cincinnati, said its wholly owned life science subsidiary, Viral Antigens Inc., received U.S. Patent No. 6,670,117 titled "Improved Specificity in the Detection of Anti-Rubella IgM Antibodies," encompassing improved methods for detection of anti-rubella IgM antibodies in commercial diagnostic products.

Nanogen Inc., of San Diego, was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,682,936 titled "Addressable Biologic Electrode Array," which relates to electrode-based array devices and methods of operation in which individual electrodes contained within the array can be selectively addressed or manipulated.

Proteome Sciences plc, of Cobham, UK, said the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor received a U.S. patent for the diagnosis of neuroblastoma and glioma in blood. The company has an exclusive license to the patent for product commercialization.