Immtech International Inc., of Vernon Hills, Ill., said it will receive a patent on the structure and use of Thiophene-based dicationic drugs to treat fungal diseases as part of a licensing agreement with the company's University Scientific Consortium. The patent extends the company's patent estate on its technology focused on simple, symmetrical double-positive charged organic compounds that bind to the minor groove of DNA with specificity.

Immunomedics Inc., of Morris Plains, N.J., said the U.S. patent office has allowed a patent for a new therapeutic method involving cell-specific cytokines. The method allows for a cell-specific cytokine, such as IL-15, to be bound with a therapeutic isotope or RNase.

Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Vancouver, British Columbia, was issued a patent covering inventions related to the company's IPL576 series of compounds. U.S. Patent No. 6,046,185 covers IPL576,092, the company's lead molecule, which is being developed as a new oral treatment for asthma and respiratory disease.

Interleukin Genetics Inc., of San Antonio, said it received notification of a U.S. patent allowance of its patent linking interleukin-1 gene variations to the risk for complications of asthma and other chronic lung diseases.