* Alkermes Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., received three patents: No. 5,667,808, for methods of forming stabilized human growth hormone (hGH) by complexation with a metal cation; No. 5,654,010, for sustained release of hGH; and No. 5,674,534, for sustained-release formulations of erythropoietin.

* Antex Biologics Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., received patent No. 5,679,564 for nutriment signal transduction technology and its Campylobacter vaccine, which in a Phase I study was shown safe and immunogenic against the food-borne illness.

* Apoptosis Technology Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of ImmunoGen Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., received patent No. 5,656,725 covering a small-peptide domain that may selectively eliminate cancer cells.

* Aradigm Corp., of Hayward, Calif., received patent No. 5,672,581 for breath-controlled pulmonary delivery of all insulin formulations. The company is developing the AERx Diabetes Management System, which incorporates breath-control technology so diabetics can manage their mealtime glucose using insulin, without needles.

* ArQule Inc., of Medford, Mass., received patent No. 5,670,480 for methods of using aminimides in the rational design of polymers with specific physiochemical properties, including water solubility.

* Aurora Biosciences Corp., of La Jolla, Calif., received patent No. 5,661,035 for fluorescent monitoring of membrane potential. The technology has applications in drug discovery, particularly in the field of ion-channel targets.

* The Burnham Institute, of La Jolla, Calif., received patent No. 5,654,267 for combining peptides that bind the alpha-v-beta-3 integrin with platelet-derived growth factors, insulin growth factors and interleukin-4 growth factors on a matrix of absorbable biomaterial. Integra LifeSciences Corp., of La Jolla, Calif., has licensed the technology for use in wound healing.

* Celgene Corp., of Warren, N.J., received patent No. 5,658,940 for composition of matter for new additions to its family of selective cytokine inhibitory drugs. The drugs are being evaluated for rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and others.

* Cell Genesys Inc., of Foster City, Calif., received a patent and a two notices of allowance. Patent No. 5,650,148 covers genetically modified cross-species cell transplants. One notice of allowance is for a broad patent covering all gene therapy products that utilize adeno-associated virus vectors to deliver genes as therapeutic agents. The other notice of allowance covers retroviral vectors for any use and methods of using the vectors to introduce genes into human cells.

* CEL-SCI Corp., of Alexandria, Va., received a notice of allowance for an AIDS diagnostic method based on the measurement of antibodies against a region (HGP-30) of the core of the AIDS virus.

* Chromagen Inc., of San Diego, received a patent for highly fluorescent nucleotide analogues that allow direct labeling of DNA and RNA probes. The company's fluorescent technology platform is being used to develop ultrasensitive biologic assays for drug discovery, research and clinical diagnostics.

* Cortecs International plc, of London, was granted a U.S. patent for Flustat, its oral influenza vaccine. In preclinical trials, the drug has shown it can stimulate an immune response in the respiratory tract.

* Cypros Pharmaceutical Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif., received a notice of allowance for a new formulation of its CPC-111 cytoprotective drug. CPC-111 is under development for ischemic cardiovascular indications.

* Dyax Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., received patent No. 5,666,143 covering inhibitors of human neutrophil elastase, an enzyme involved in inflammatory diseases.

* Ergo Science Corp., of Boston, received two method-of-use patents for Ergoset, the company's lead product candidate. No. 5,654,313 covers a method of modifying glucose metabolism by administering a prolactin-inhibiting compound and prolactin-stimulating compound, and No. 5,565,454 covers a method of preventing or limiting restenosis or reducing or eliminating angina pectoris or amaurosis fugax by administering a daily amount of a dopamine-potentiating/prolactin-reducing compound.

* Gamma Biologicals Inc., of Houston, received patent No. 5,665,558 covering aspects of the Gamma ReACT Test system, designed for detection of red blood cell antibodies. In Oct. 1996, the company submitted a 510(k) application to the FDA for marketing approval.

* GeneMedicine Inc., of The Woodlands, Texas, received a patent covering gene therapy uses of cationic lipids combined with DNA and administered by injection or inhalation. The technology has applications in gene therapy and gene-based vaccines.

* Guilford Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Baltimore, received patent No. 5,672,592 for inhibitors of N-acetylated-alpha-linked-acidic-dipeptidase (NAALADase). Such inhibitors could lead to treatments for a range of neurodegenerative disorders believed to be caused by excessive glutamate toxicity, including stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, head trauma, spinal cord trauma, peripheral neuropathies and Parkinson's disease.

* The Immune Response Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif., received patent No. 5, 674, 486 for its cancer immunotherapy technology. The patent covers a method of stimulating an immune response using a human cell line engineered to express one or more antigens and cytokines.

* LXR Biotechnology Inc. received patent Nos. 5,652,210 and 5,663,070 for a free form of the Fas protein and its associated gene. Fas-mediated cell death is believed to be involved in the development of a variety of human diseases, including rejection of transplanted organs.

* Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., received patent No. 5,674,739 covering a human gene, fohy030, that encodes the melastatin protein. Preliminary data indicate that melastatin functions as a metastasis suppressor in malignant melanoma.

* Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Richmond, Calif., received patent No. 5,677,178 for methods of treating cancer using replicating viral-based therapy. The modified viruses covered in the patent do not replicate effectively in normal cells, but do replicate in and kill cells deficient in the p53 tumor suppressor gene.

* Oxis International Inc., of Portland, Ore., received a notice of allowance for a patent for a series of molecules that are analogues of the natural antioxidant L-ergothioneine. The compound has potential uses in ophthalmic, cosmetic, nutritional and therapeutic applications.

* PE Applied Biosystems, of Foster City, Calif., received a notice of allowance for a broad patent covering methods of automated DNA sequencing and genetic mapping using electrophoresis. The technology has applications in the field of automated genetic analysis. The company is a division of Perkin-Elmer Corp., of Norwalk, Conn.

* Procept Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., received patent No. 5,677,343 covering Pro 2000 gel, a topical microbicide being developed as a barrier to HIV infection. Clinical studies are ongoing to investigate the gel's effectiveness in women.

* Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., and the University of California-San Francisco received patent No. 5,667,968 covering the use of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) for the treatment of retinal diseases in which photoreceptors degenerate. Preclinical studies show CNTF and Axokine (a second-generation CNTF molecule) can retard the functional loss of photoreceptors in rats bearing abnormal human retinitis pigmentosa genes.

* SIBIA Neurosciences Inc., of La Jolla, Calif., received patent No. 5,670,113 for automated measurement instruments and related assay methods for use in functional high-throughput screening and compound profiling.

* Sparta Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Horsham, Pa., received patent No. 5,674,708 covering a new class of recombinant modified human proteins that are specific serine protease inhibitors. Sparta was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research grant for Phase II trials to investigate its products in treating stroke.

* Targeted Genetics Corp., of Seattle, received three patents covering methods of using tumor suppressor genes to treat various cancers. The company said the genes are E1A, derived from the adenovirus that causes the common cold, and LT, the SV40 virus large T antigen. The company's E1A cancer gene therapy product, called tgDDC-E1A, is in Phase I clinical trials for multiple indications.

* Theratechnologies Inc., of Montreal, received a notice of allowance for its universal attachment system for implant-supported dentures.

* United Biomedical Inc., of Hauppage, N.Y., received a notice of allowance for immunogenic LHRH peptide constructs and synthetic universal immune stimulators for vaccines. The first product utilizing this technology is in a clinical trial as a therapy for advanced prostate cancer.