BioWorld Today here continues its occasional listings of government agencies seeking industrial licensees to commercialize their biotechnology-related research and development inventions. Commercialization rights are offered by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). Announcements of the following licensing opportunities have been recently submitted for publication in the Federal Register.
To obtain licensing information and copies of the U.S. patent issuances or applications listed below, contact the OTT licensing specialists indicated.
National Cancer Institute
Chemokine Fusion Proteins As Cancer Vaccines
A broad range of fusion proteins can be constructed that have chemokine and tumor or viral antigen domains. These fusion proteins or the DNA encoding them elicit a specific and potent in vivo immune response directed against the antigen, thus making them useful as cancer and HIV therapeutics.
Application: 60/077,745
Filed: 3/12/98
Inventors: Kwak, L.W., et al.
Contact: Elaine Gese, (301) 496-7057, ext. 282
Diphenylhexane Derivatives For Treating HIV
2,5-diamino-3,4-disubstituted-1,6-diphenylhexane derivatives have been developed that can be used to treat HIV infection. These antiretroviral agents can overcome drug resistance in AIDS therapy.
Application: 09/039,670
Filed: 3/16/98
Inventors: Randad, R.S., et al.
Contact: John Peter Kim, (301) 496-7057, ext. 264
Aspartic Protease Inhibitors For Treating HIV
Aspartic protease inhibitors have been developed that can be used to treat HIV infection. These inhibitors have high potency, lower molecular weight and lower lipophilicity. They also have antimalarial activity. These antiretroviral agents have a better drug resistance profile against mutant HIV strains.
Application: 60/114,868
Filed: 1/6/99
Inventors: Randad, R.S., et al.
Contact: John Peter Kim, (301) 496-7057, ext. 264
Adenoviral Vector Expressing Antisense RNA
A replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus that encodes an antisense ribonucleic acid encoding SV40 T antigen has been developed. This vector can be used to treat all forms of cancer in which the tumor cells express the SV40 T antigen.
Application: 60/124,776
Filed: 3/17/99
Inventors: Schrump, D.S., et al.
Contact: Richard U. Rodriguez, (301) 496-7057, ext. 287
National Institute Of Arthritis And Infectious Diseases
Tumor Necrosis Factor Family Ligand
A tumor necrosis factor family ligand named DRL (also known as APRIL and TNFSF13) has been isolated and its gene cloned. It is a type II membrane protein of 250 amino acids encoded by a gene found on the short arm of chromosome 17 at 17p11.2-12. Soluble DRL can be obtained by preparing a DRL-IgG fusion protein utilizing the extracellular domain of DRL. This cytokine plays a significant role in T-cell activation and can induce T-cell growth and crosslinking of the T-cell receptor. These latter characteristics may make this cytokine useful in treating inappropriate T-cell activation in autoimmune disease and tissue rejection.
Application: 60/106,976
Filed: 11/4/98
Inventors: Lenardo, M.J., et al.
Contact: Susan S. Rucker, (301) 496-7057, ext. 245
Vaccine Antigens That Modulate Antigen-Presenting Cells
High-efficacy vaccine antigens have been identified that modulate the activation state of antigen-presenting cells. In so doing, the activation of killer T cells can be controlled, thus allowing treatment of a variety of immune system diseases.
Application: 09/313,487
Filed: 5/17/99
Inventors: Matzinger, P., et al.
Contact: John Peter Kim, (301) 496-7057, ext. 264
HIV-Related Peptides For Vaccines
Phage-display libraries constructed with serum proteins from long-term, non-progressor HIV-infected subjects identify peptides that selectively react with sera from people who are infected with HIV. These peptides behave as antigenic mimics of linear or conformational HIV-1 epitopes generated in vivo in subjects infected with different HIV-1 strains, thus making them potentially useful as HIV vaccines.
Application: 60/132,760
Filed: 5/6/99
Inventors: Scala, G., et al.
Contact: Robert Benson, (301) 496-7057, ext. 267
National Institute Of Mental Health
Detection And Treatment Of Inflammatory Disease
A mutation in the gene encoding angiotensin converting enzyme has been identified. This mutation is associated with high-level enzyme activity and resistance to exudative inflammation. This and related mutations could be useful in diagnostic screening and the development of therapeutics for inflammatory diseases.
Application: 60/132,921
Filed: 4/6/99
Inventors: Sternberg, E.M., et al.
Contact: Kai Chen, (301) 496-7057, ext. 247
National Institutes Of Health Clinical Center
Simplified Hyperlipidemia Assay
A single tube assay for determining high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol has been developed. This test can replace the multiple, costly and complex measurements currently necessary to measure these substances, thus simplifying the procedure for point-of-care testing of hyperlipidemia.
Application: 60/136,709
Filed: 5/28/99
Inventors: Remaley, A.T., et al.
Contact: John Fahner-Vihtelic, (301) 496-7057, ext. 270
- Compiled by Chester A. Bisbee