Adolor Corp., of Exton, Pa., received U.S. Patent No. 6,469,030 titled "Methods for the Treatment and Prevention of Ileus," directed to the use of alvimopan to treat and prevent postoperative ileus. Another, U.S. Patent No. 6,451,806 titled "Methods and Compositions Involving Opioids and Antagonists Thereof," is directed to the use of alvimopan and other peripheral mu opioid antagonist compounds in combination with a variety of opioid narcotic analgesics to treat pain.

Aphios Corp., of Woburn, Mass., was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,465,168 titled "Methods and Apparatus for the Inactivation of Viruses." Aphios said its virus-inactivation process is capable of inactivating both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses.

Biolog Inc., of Hayward, Calif., received U.S. Patent No. 6,387,651, another patent on its Phenotype MicroArray technology. The patent was granted for comparative phenotypic analysis of two or more microorganisms using a number of substrates within a microwell device.

First Horizon Pharmaceutical Corp., of Alpharetta, Ga., received from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office a notice of allowance for one of its pending patent applications that covers its Tanafed DP and Tanafed DMX products, both recently launched as extensions to First Horizon's Tanafed line of cold/cough and allergy medicines. The patent also would cover the existing Tanafed DM suspension.

NascaCell GmbH, of Tutzing, Germany, was awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,451,535 claiming a technology for rapid lead compound identification. It is the first approval among six applications regarding the use of aptamers and reporter aptazymes for drug screening.

Nymox Pharmaceutical Corp., of Maywood, N.J., said it was issued a U.S. patent for the use of statin drugs to treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease.