3-Dimensional Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Exton, Pa., said it was granted U.S. Patent Nos. 6,214,293 and 6,232,085. They cover a rapid and broadly applicable method and apparatus for obtaining quantitative measurements of drug-binding affinity to virtually any protein or nucleic acid target. 3-DP also said it received U.S. Patent Nos. 6,204,263; 6,235,778; and 6, 245,763. Those patents cover novel classes of protease inhibitors.

Antex Biologics Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., said it was granted a U.S. patent that covers a new class of peptides that suppress the harmful hypersecretion of mucus.

Antigenics Inc., of New York, said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,231,859. It covers novel combination of the QS-21 immune adjuvant with additional saponin adjuvants for synergistic activity.

Applied Gene Technologies Inc., of San Diego, said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,242,188 titled ¿Sample Processing to Release Nucleic Acids for Direct Detection.¿ It covers technology related to AGT¿s Tessera Array Technology.

Avigen Inc., of Alameda, Calif., said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,242,426. It covers innovative ways of developing vaccines against a variety of diseases including AIDS and cancer.

BioSante Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lincolnshire, Ill., said it was granted a U.S. patent that covers a method of selectively isolating biologically active therapeutic proteins from transgenic milk.

Boston Biomedica Inc., of West Bridgewater, Mass., said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6, 245,506. It covers pressure cycling technology for determination of nucleic acid and protein sequences.

Columbia Laboratories Inc., of New York, said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,248,358. It covers bioadhesive, bioerodible progressive hydration tablets for the sustained release of therapeutic compounds.

Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,248,360 titled ¿Complexes to Improve Oral Absorption of Poorly Absorbable Antibiotics.¿ It covers oral formulations of multiple antibiotics.

Devgen NV, of Ghent, Belgium, said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,225,120. It covers claims and methods for selecting targets and compounds active in glucose tolerance and diabetes using mutant C. elegans nematodes as a model for insulin resistance.

Emisphere Technologies Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., said it was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,242,495. It covers Emisphere¿s oral parathyroid hormone compositions and dosage unit forms.

GeneLink Inc., of Margate, N.J., said it filed for a U.S. patent for a proprietary method to detect an individual¿s susceptibility to obesity.