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 seven licensing opportunities have been published recently 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

Phenylalanine Derivatives

Phenylalanine derivatives can inhibit SH2 domain binding with phosphoproteins. These derivatives can be used to disrupt this binding and treat cell proliferation-based diseases, such as cancer.

Application: 60/126,047

Filed: 3/23/99

Inventors: Burke, T., et al.

Contact: Richard U. Rodriguez, (301) 496-7057, ext. 287

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Activating Gene 1

The human fibroblast growth factor receptor activating gene 1 has been cloned and partially sequenced. This gene encodes FRAG1, which when fused to fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FRAG2), causes cell transformation, making it useful in developing cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

Application: 09/202,548

Filed: 12/15/98

Inventors: Lorenzi, M.V., et al.

Contact: Susan S. Rucker, (301) 496-7057, ext. 245

Peptides Modulating Cells Expressing a3_1 Integrins

Peptides that bind to a3_1 integrins can affect the process of cell adhesion. As such, these peptides can inhibit angiogenesis when administered in soluble form and promote adhesion and growth of endothelial cells when immobilized on a substratum.

DHHS Reference: E-169-99/0

Filed: 7/15/99

Inventors: Roberts, D.D., et al.

Contact: Richard U. Rodriguez, (301) 496-7057, ext. 287

Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors Of SH2 Domain Protein Binding

Non-phosphorylated cyclic peptide inhibitors of SH2 domain protein binding have been identified. These inhibitors can be used to disrupt this binding and treat proliferation-based diseases, such as cancer.

Application: 60/137,187

Filed: 6/2/99

Inventors: Roller, P., et al.

Contact: Richard U. Rodriguez, (301) 496-7057, ext. 287

Preventing Tumor Metastases

Some tumors, such as sarcomas, exhibit metastatic behavior due to inappropriate hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor signaling. Therefore, variants and mimetics of this growth factor and antibodies to it can be used to inhibit metastases of tumors exhibiting this aberrant behavior.

Application: 09/248,901

Filed: 2/12/99

Inventors: Rong, S., et al.

Contact: Susan S. Rucker, (301) 496-7057, ext. 245

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Drosophila Testes-Expressed Gene Expressed Sequence Tags

A library of high quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of genes expressed in Drosophila testes has been generated. These unpatented ESTs are available through a biological materials license agreement.

DHHS Reference: E-023-99/0

Inventors: Oliver, B., et al.

Contact: Peter Soukas, (301) 496-7057, ext. 268

National Institutes of Health Office of Research Services

Laser Capture Cell Microdissection Methods

Methods have been developed for the application of thin-film coatings to hot-melt layers used in laser capture microdissection of tissue for gene expression analysis. The methods result in the placement of a hard non-adhering surface on the hot-melt layers that prevents problems associated with the non-specific pickup of surrounding tissue.

DHHS Reference: E-015-99/0

Filed: 5/10/99

Inventors: Peterson, J.I., et al.

Contact: John Fahner-Vihtelic, (301) 496-7057, ext. 270