Published January 26 (EPO); January 20 (WO)

Ajinomoto EPO 974 653

Gastric cancer antigen

Tokyo

Human gastric cancer antigen, encoding gene sequences; for inducing cancer immunoresponses.

Amgen EPO 974 655

G-CSF analogs

Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) analogs, encoding gene, computer-based design methods.

Amsterdam Molec. Therapeutics WO 00/03013

Liver regeneration gene

Utrecht, Netherlands

Gene involved in liver regeneration, encoded protein, antibodies; for therapeutics.

Banyu Pharma EPO 974 652

Metastasis inhibitors

Tokyo

Cancer metastasis-associated gene, encoded protein, antisense; for finding inhibitors.

Calgene WO 00/03012 & 03017

Plant-expressed therapeutics

Davis, Calif.

Expression of eukaryotic proteins in plant plastids using plastid-targeting and enhancer sequences; for therapeutics.

Chugai EPO 974 648

Mesenchymal cell lines

Tokyo

Undifferentiated mesenchymal cell lines; for differentiation into chondrocytes and adipocytes.

CSIRO (Comm. Sci. & Ind. Res. Org.) WO 00/03006

Sucrose biosynthesis genes

Campbell, Australia

Sucrose biosynthesis genes, encoded proteins; for stable expression and sucrose production.

Connex WO 00/03016

Immunotherapeutics

Martinsreid, Germany

Antibody fragments reacting with zeta- and eta-chains expressed on natural killer cells; for therapeutics.

Cornell Univ. WO 00/02996

Heterologous protein secretion

Ithaca, N.Y.

Recombinant constructs combining genes encoding a functional type III secretion system and a therapeutic protein.

Curagen WO 00/02911

Neurodegeneration therapy

New Haven, Conn.

Human _-amyloid precursor protein complexed with human LON protease-like protein; for treating neurodegeneration.

Daicel Chemical EPO 974 662

Bacterial metabolite production

Osaka, Japan

Process for producing dihydroxyacetone 3-phosphate in transformed bacteria.

Dresden Technical Univ. WO 00/03008

Cytochrome P450 expression

Dresden, Germany

Recombinant haploid and diploid Yarrowia yeast strains; for heterologous cytochrome P450 expression.

Du Pont WO 00/03026

Transcription coactivators

Wilmington, Del.

Transcription coactivators, encoding gene sequences, chimeric genes; for altering transcription levels.

Fuso Pharma EPO 974 658

Streptococcus diagnosis

Osaka, Japan

DNA probes for Streptococcus pyogenes strains; for the detection and diagnosis of infections.

Glaxo WO 00/03014

Wound healing therapy

Greenford, U.K.

NAB1/2 peptides, active fragments, encoding gene sequences; for gene therapy for cell growth in wound healing.

Hayashibara Seibutsu EPO 974 600

IL-18 antibodies

Okayama, Japan

Antibodies to interleukin (IL)-18, fragments, humanized antibodies; for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Incyte Pharma WO 00/03005

Human checkpoint kinase

Palo Alto, Calif.

Human checkpoint kinase, encoding genes, antibodies, modulators; for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Incyte Pharma WO 00/03015

Transport protein homologs

Palo Alto, Calif.

Human transport protein homologs, encoding genes, antibodies, modulators; for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Introgene WO 00/03029

Chimeric adenoviruses

Leiden, Belgium

Chimeric recombinant adenoviruses having sequences from various serotypes; for improved gene therapy.

Ioannina, Univ. of EPO 974 650

Endothelial growth inhibitors

Ioannina, Greece

Endothelial cell growth inhibitors, encoding gene sequences; for controlling endothelial cell growth.

Itoh, K., et al. WO 00/02907

Cancer antigen peptides

Saga, Japan

Tumor antigen peptide derived from SART-1, derivatives; for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

Japan Tobacco EPO 974 651

Arteriosclerosis proteins

Tokyo

Proteins expressed during arteriosclerosis and coronary restenosis, encoding genes; for therapeutics.

Johns Hopkins Univ. WO 00/02910

Forkhead signal transducer

Baltimore, Md.

Human forkhead activin signal transducer gene, encoding gene; for activating genes responsive to TGF-_ ligands.

Leiden State Univ. EPO 974 657

Enhanced fungal growth

Leiden, Belgium

Reducing branching and enhancing fragmentation in fungi cultures using the Streptomyces griseus ssgA gene.

Loyola Univ. WO 00/03018

Bacillus antibiotic protein

Chicago, Ill.

Antibiotic protein with Bacillus subtilis TasA protein properties, fusion protein; for secretion into spores.

Max Delbruck Ctr. Molec. Med. WO 00/03027

Improving gene transfer

Berlin

Methods for improving gene transfer in mammalian cells using the cell cycle regulator p21.

Max Delbruck Ctr. Molec. Med. WO 00/03028

Optimizing adenovirus production

Berlin

Methods for optimizing the production of adenovirus vectors using overexpression of the cell cycle regulator p21.

MRC (Med. Res. Counc.) WO 00/03019

Conditional influenza mutants

London

Conditional mutants of influenza virus M2 protein that cause growth arrest in mammalian cells.

Merck WO 00/02918 & 02919

Modifying GH release

Rahway, N.J.

Growth hormone (GH) secretogogue-related receptors, encoding genes; for identifying modulators of growth hormone release.

Merck Frosst Canada WO 00/03023

Apoptosis controlling protein

Kirkland, Que.

Usurpin, a mammalian DED-caspase homolog that precludes caspase-8 recruitment and activation; for apoptosis control.

Merial EPO 974 659

Marek's disease vaccine

Lyon, France

Marek's disease virus and other virus genes; for diagnostics and vaccines.

Mitsui Chemicals EPO 974 654

Growth hormone production

Tokyo

Human growth hormone gene linked to the E. coli OppA gene; for secretory recombinant hormone production.

Newcastle Univ. WO 00/03010

Gene expression limitation

Newcastle, U.K.

Prokaryotic expression system with dlt operon alterations; for limiting the expression of genes linked to this operon.

Nielsen, J., et al. WO 00/03020 & 03021

Altered metabolite production

Charlottenlund, Denmark

Genetically engineered microbial cell with a modified redox activity resulting in altered metabolite production.

Oriental Yeast EPO 974 665

PDI production

Tokyo

Recombinant yeast protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), encoding gene; for secretion and purification.

Pharmacia & Upjohn WO 00/02900

Low trisulfide proteins

Stockholm, Sweden

Production of recombinant proteins having low amounts of trisulfides by using metal salts.

Plant Genetics Inst. WO 00/03009

Glucosamine synthesis inhibition

Gatersieben, Germany

Genes for the biosynthesis of anticapsin and bacilysine; for use as antagonists of glucosamine synthesis.

Rockefeller Univ. WO 00/03024

Mu opioid receptor alleles

New York

Alleles of the mu opioid receptor; for diagnostics, therapeutics, and selecting pain modulators.

Schering-Plough WO 00/03030

Pox-based vaccines

Lucerne, Switzerland

Recombinant raccoonpox viruses having inserted foreign genes; for mammalian vaccines.

Scios WO 00/03011

Peptide purification

Sunnyvale, Calif.

Production of peptides having a pI above 8 or below 5 using a fusion partner system; for ease of purification.

SES Europe WO 00/03025

Viral genetic modification

Tienen, Belgium

Genetic modification of wild type viral sequences; for reducing deleterious effects in cell transformants.

SmithKline Beecham EPO 974 663

Lp-PLA2 inhibitors

Brentford, U.K.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), encoding gene, inhibitors; for diagnostics and therapeutics.

SmithKline Beecham EPO 974 664

ACE homologs

Brentford, U.K.

Mouse testes-specific angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) homologs, encoding genes; for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Southern California, Univ. of WO 00/02909

Viral targeting

Los Angeles

Amphiphilic peptides isolated from cytoplasmic tails of viral envelope proteins; for linkage to targeting peptides.

Stichting Inst. EPO 974 660

Newcastle disease vaccines

Lelystad, Netherlands

Generation of infectious, attenuated Newcastle disease virus strains; for vaccines.

Tanabe EPO 974 656

DNA gyrase inhibitors

Osaka, Japan

Bacterial DNA gyrase inhibitor, encoding gene sequences, production methods; for designing inhibitors.

Teikoku Hormone EPO 974 599

Gonadotropin activity increase

Tokyo

Recombinant equine chorionic gonadotropin having both domains linked together; for increased activity.

Toyota Jidosha EPO 974 661

Geranyl diphosphate synthase

Aichi, Japan

Geranyl diphosphate synthase genes, modifications, encoding gene sequences; for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Transgene EPO 974 668

Adenoviral vectors

Strasbourg, France

Recombinant adenoviral vectors retaining sufficient E4 sequences to improve expression and its persistence.

Wisconsin, Univ. of WO 00/02997

Neurotoxin assay

Madison, Wis.

Transgenic mice expressing humanized green fluorescent protein in astrocytes; for assaying neurotoxins.

Yakult Honsha EPO 974 666

Gene transfer

Tokyo

Transferring genes into chromosomes using vectors and a lysogenic phage that deletes unnecessary vector genes.

Zurich Univ. EPO 974 649

Modulator peptides

Zurich, Switzerland

Cells transformed with a DNA library encoding modulators; for screening modulator peptides.

- Compiled by Chester A. Bisbee