Entelos Inc., of Menlo Park, Calif., was granted allowances for U.S. patent applications on three features of its technology that enable the construction of large-scale, computer-based models. The features include a diagramming language, as well as parameter sets and value sets to organize the parameters.

Epimmune Inc., of San Diego, was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,037,135 titled "Methods of Making HLA Binding Peptides and Their Uses," covering methods for using any genomic or protein sequence to discover T-cell epitopes that are potentially useful as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines.

Exact Laboratories Inc., of Maynard, Mass., was issued its seventh U.S. patent, No. 6,020,137 titled "Methods for the Detection of Loss of Heterozygosity." It describes methods for analyzing genetic variations.

Hemispherx Biopharma Inc., of Philadelphia, said two new U.S. patent applications, which have recently been filed in its behalf, provide potentially two new approaches to controlling HIV infection at the genomic expression level.

Immtech International Inc., of Vernon Hills, Ill., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,025,398 titled "Benzamidoxime Pro-drugs as AntiPneumocystic Agents." The patent is based on technology that allows the placement of a neutralizing charge mask on a positively charged drug. The company also said it was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,017,941 titled "Method of Combating Infectious Diseases Using Dicatonic Bis-Benzimidazoles."

Incara Pharmaceuticals Corp., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., received a notice of allowance from the U.S. patent office on a patent for an isolated hepatocyte precursor capable of differentiating into a hepatocyte.

IntraBiotics Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,025,326 titled "Compositions and Methods for the Prevention and Treatment of Oral Mucositis," covering the use of antimicrobial peptides for the treatment of oral mucositis.

Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif., was issued U.S. patents on antisense inhibitors to 20 genes. The patents cover the use of antisense inhibitors against genes involved in several areas of disease, including inflammatory responses, signal transduction processes, apoptosis, drug resistance and cancer.

Layton BioScience Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., said researchers at the University of South Florida have been awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,034,079 for the use of nicotine antagonists to treat nicotine-responsive neuropsychiatric disorders.

Magainin Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,037,149, covering the composition of matter and methods of use for Met-IL9, a mutant form of interleukin-9.

Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,025,137, covering methods of detecting Melastatin in patient tissue samples in order to determine whether a patient has, or is at risk for, developing metastatic melanoma.

Molecular Targeting Technology Inc., of West Chester, Pa., was issued Australian Patent No. 710,630 on "Plug and Seal," a non-surgical gene therapy delivery/cell repair technology.

Myogen Inc., of Denver, was issued a U.S. patent covering the co-administration of positive inotropes (enoximone and milrinone) and beta-blockers (metoprolol and bisoprolol) for the treatment of heart failure.

NeuralStem BioPharmaceuticals Ltd., of College Park, Md., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,040,180, granting additional claims on the company's proprietary neural stem cell technology, expanding on its previously issued U.S. Patent No. 5,753,506.

NewBiotics Inc., of San Diego, was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,033,849, covering the method for isolating extrachromosomal amplified genes.

Nexell Therapeutics Inc., of Irvine, Calif., was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,037,174, covering in vitro growth of neutrophil and megakaryocyte precursors in serum-free media.

Novavax Inc., of Columbia, Md., was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,034,073 for "Solvent Detergent Emulsions Having Antiviral Activity" against agents such as herpes simplex and vaccinia, using an oil-in-water emulsion. It also was granted U.S. Patent No. 6,025,182 titled "Method for Producing a Virus from an African Green Monkey Kidney Cell Line."

NuOncology Labs Inc., of Houston, received a notice of allowance from the U.S. patent office for claims covering methods of suppressing tumor growth in humans. It will include claims for treating breast, colon, rectal, stomach, pancreatic, lung, liver, ovarian and esophageal cancers, as well as leukemia and lymphoma, using Chlorohydrin-Arglabin.