NIH OFFERS PATENT LICENSES TO CANCER, RETROVIRAL,IMMUNOLOGICAL THERAPEUTICS

By David N. LeffScience Editor

BioWorld Today here continues its occasional listings of governmentagencies seeking industrial licensees to commercialize its biotech-related research and development inventions. These patent rights areoffered by the National Institutes of Health, Office of TechnologyTransfer (OTT). Announcements of the following 10 opportunitieshave been recently published in, or submitted to, the FederalRegister.

To obtain licensing information and copies of the U.S. patentissuances or applications listed below, contact the OTT licensingspecialists indicated.

National Cancer Institute

Laminin Molecule Heads Off Tumor Cells

Diagnosis and management of breast and other cancers involveslaminin binding to tumor cells, preventing their union with membranecollagen. Invention also has possible use in burn injury therapy, bypromoting adhesion and growth of epithelial cells. And it permitsevaluating effectiveness of chemotherapy agents that target tumor cellreceptors.

U.S. Patent No. 4,556, 789, issued 1/21/86

Inventors: Liotta, L. A., et al.

Contact: Ken Hemby, (301) 496-7735, ext. 265

Phosphate Mimic Opens Cells To Therapy

A phosphotyrosyl mimetic, which uses a malonate moiety in place ofphosphate, can be derivatized and thus made permeable to cellmembranes. Peptides containing these residues are potentialtherapeutic agents for disease states with altered cellular signaling,including cancer.

Application: 08/414/520

Filed: 3/31/95

Inventors: Burke, T. R., et al.

Contact: Alan Kiang, (301) 496-7735, ext. 270

Multi-Purpose Molecule Activates Protein Kinase C

Diacylglycerol (DAG), a member of the cell signal transductionsecond messenger system, helps turn protein kinase C on tophosphorylating proteins involved in growth, differentiation,inflammation, nerve function, tumor promotion and oncogeneexpression. Invention describes DAG analogues that switch theseprocesses on and off.

Application: 08/372/602

Filed: 1/13/95

Inventors: Marquez, V. E., et al.

Contact: Alan Kiang, (301) 496-7735, ext. 270

Synthetic HIV Protease Inhibitor

Amino acids and DNA sequences for natural and synthetic HIVprotease, for use in designing chemical HIV-protease inhibitors andtesting their efficacy against HIV-1.

U.S. Patents: No. 5,252,477, issued 10/12/93

No. 5,354,683, issued 10/11/94

Inventors: Copeland, T. D., et al.

Contact: Cindy Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232

Retroviral HIV Protease Inhibitor

Anthranilamide, other subunits, confer on compound enhancedresistance to protease degradation, therefore, longer plasma half-life,oral bioavailability, "Thus, it compares favorably in its in vitroantiviral potency to promising HIV protease inhibitors currently inclinical trials, and on the market."

Application: 08/562/013

Filed: 11/22/95

U.S. Patents: No. 5,252,477, issued 10/12/93

No. 5,354,683, issued 10/11/94

Inventors: Randad, R. S., et al.

Contact: Cindy Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232

National Institute Of Diabetes & Digestive& Kidney Diseases

Synthetic HIV Protease Gene

DNA construct for bioactive recombinant HIV-1 protease, itsproduction and purification. For use in designing chemical HIV-1protease inhibitors and testing their antiviral efficiency.

U.S. Patent No. 5,252,477, issued 10/12/93

Inventors: Medabalimi, J. L., et al.

Contact: Cindy Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232

Peptide Inhibitor Of Viral Protease

Peptides from a native retroviral inhibitory sequence blockmaturation of HIV protease, inhibit mature enzyme. Useful inpreparation of HIV vaccines, anti-HIV antibodies and identifyingother HIV protease inhibitors.

Application: 08/539/432

Filed: 10/5/95

Inventor: Medabalimi, J. L.

Contact: Cindy Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232

National Institute Of Allergy& Infectious Diseases

`Fusin' Co-Factor In HIV Infection

An essential accessory protein to CD4 in HIV infection, "fusin"represents a potential therapeutic agent against HIV-1, or a target foragents acting to block entry of virus into target T cells. Inventionembodies identification of fusin cDNA, and "represents a valuabletool in the production of transgenic mice and of cell lines for study ofHIV infection." (See BioWorld Today, June 21, 1996, p. 1.)

Application: 60/010/854

Filed: 1/30/96

Inventors: Berger, E. A., et al.

Contact: Cindy Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232

Second HIV Co-Factor, CKR5, For Therapy, Research

Invention embodies genetic sequence of cysteine-cysteinechemokine receptor, CKR5, a necessary co-factor, in addition tofusin (see above), for infection of target cells by macrophage-tropicHIV isolates. Includes transgenic mice with cells co-expressinghuman CD4 and CKR5. (See BioWorld Today, June 21, 1996, p. 1.)

Application: 60/018/508

Filed: 5/28/96

Inventors: Berger, E. A., et al.

Contact: Cindy Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232

National Institute Of Mental Health

Immunotoxin Aids Transplants, Fights Autoimmunity

Immunotoxins with T cell suppressant activity, targeted to the pan-Tcell marker CD3, induced immunological tolerance to kidneytransplants in rhesus monkeys. A three-day administration of the anti-CD3 compound transiently depleted the animals' graft-rejection-triggering T cells to one percent of initial values, and prolongedallograft survival beyond 150 days. "No other drug or treatmentregimen has come close to achieving these results," its inventorsclaim.

These immunotoxins also proved effective in moderatingexperimental allergic encephalitis (a model for amyotrophic lateralsclerosis) in primates. The drugs delayed or abolished paralysis,which occurred in non-treated control monkeys four to six days afterinduction. Development of a molecularly engineered anti-CD3immunotoxin is ongoing, with prospective utility in treating T-cell-driven autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis andmultiple sclerosis.

The NIH Office of Technology Transfer is contemplating the grant ofan exclusive worldwide license to these inventions to Sandoz PharmaLtd., of Basel, Switzerland. The proposed rights would be limited totransplant tolerance, leaving open potential uses in cancer therapyand treatment of muscle diseases.

Deadline for licensure applications or comments is Nov. 15, 1996

Patent Application: 60/015/459

Filed: 4/15/96

U. S. Patents: No. 5,167,956 issued 12/1/92

No. 5,208,021 (issued 5/4/93)

Inventors: Neville, David, et. al.

Contact: Raphe Kantor, (301) 496-7735, ext. 247

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.