NIH AGENCIES OFFER LICENSES TO COMMERCIALIZEPENDING PATENTS
By David N. LeffScience Editor
BioWorld Today here continues its occasional listings of governmentagencies seeking industrial licensees to commercialize their biotech-related research and development inventions. Commercializationrights are offered by the National Institutes of Health, Office ofTechnology Transfer (OTT). Announcements of the following 17opportunities have been published recently in the Federal Register.
To obtain licensing information, and copies of the U.S. patentissuances or applications listed below, contact the OTT licensingspecialists indicated.
FDA
Anti-Cancer Molecule Targets IL-13 Receptor
Tumor cells overexpress interleukin-13 receptors at extremely highlevels. A chimeric molecule that binds specifically to IL-13 receptorshas shown effectiveness in a broad spectrum of solid tumors, frombrain, breast, kidney and ovarian cancers to AIDS-associatedKaposi's sarcoma.
Application: 08/404,685
Filed: 3/15/95
Inventors: Puri, R., Pastan, I. (NCI), et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Killing T Cells Guilty Of Autoimmunity,Graft Rejection
Invention provides for selectively inhibiting or eliminating T cellsthat recognize a specific preselected target molecule. Where antigenderives from a xenograft or allograft, treatment of graft recipientdelays or inhibits rejection.
DHHS Ref. No.: E-116-95/0
Filed: 8/30/95
Inventor: Rosenberg, S.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
National Cancer Institute
High-Purity Macrophage Stimulator
Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) _ related to hepatocytegrowth factor _ steps up activity, movement of macrophages, whichkill invading organisms and tumor cells. Highly purified MSP and itsantibodies (also provided) can serve as diagnostic, therapeutic andresearch agents.
U. S. Patent No.: 5,527,685
Issued: 6/18/96
Inventors: Leonard, E. J., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Breast-Tumor Detection, Blocking
Elevated levels of epidermal growth factor receptor ErbB-3 in humanmammary tumor cell lines suggest that this receptor may figure inoncogenesis. Its cDNA, and antibodies, are useful in detection,therapy and production of protein.
U. S. Patent No.: 5,480,968
Issued: 1/2/96
Inventors: Kraus, M., Aaronson, S. A.
Contact: Susan Rucker, (301) 496-7056, ext. 245
Variant Counters Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)
Truncated HGF acts as antagonist or agonist to HGF's effects incancerous, non-cancerous cells. Its cDNA detects increased HGFmRNA. Prokaryotic expression system produces bioactive HGF/NK1and NK2 in quantity.
Application: 08/484,841
Filed: 6/7/95
Inventors: Chan, A.M.L., Aaronson, S. A., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Peptide Counters Keratinocyte Growth Factor
KGF acts solely on epithelial cells. These peptides block EGFbinding to epithelial cell receptor, so may favorably influencetreatment of carcinomas.
Application: 08/059,030
Filed: 5/4/93
Inventors: Bottaro, D., Aaronson, S.A., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Immunosuppression Sans Side Effects
Activated T cells produce protein, which binds interleukin-2 receptorthat triggers T-cell growth during immune response. It and itsantibodies raise T-cell antagonists for treating many autoimmunediseases, plus immunosuppressants to avert graft rejection withoutside effects.
U. S. Patent No.: 5,352,772
Issued: 10/4/94
Inventor: Smith, K. A.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Janus Protein Modulates Immunity
Isolated polynucleotide encodes JAK-3, a Janus-family tyrosinekinase expressed in natural killer cells and stimulated T lymphocytes.Invention covers JAK-3 protein, its antibodies, identification oftherapeutic agents for modulating immune system.
Application: 08/373,934
Filed: 1/13/95
Inventors: O'Shea, J. J., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Enzymatic Degrading Subtraction Hybridization
Alternative method for selecting, identifying differentially expressedgenes involved in embryonic development and genetic somaticpathologies "is less expensive, more efficient, less time-consuming than previous subtraction hybridization methods."
U. S. Patent No.: 5,525,471
Issued: 6/11/96
Inventor: Zeng, J.
Contact: John Fahner-Vihtelic, (301) 496-7735, ext. 285
HIV-1 Drugs At Lower Cost, Higher Yield
Process synthesizes key intermediate in preparing fluorinated reversetranscriptase inhibitors by diestero-selective reaction. Fewer sidereactions and more primary product reduce cost of chemicallysynthesizing these drugs, currently used to treat HIV-1 infection.
U. S. Patent No.: 5,498,719
Issued: 3/12/96
Inventors: Marquez, V. E., et al.
Contact: Cindy K. Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232
Three Crucial Chemokines Curb HIV
Two macrophage inflammatory proteins plus RANTES act in vitro asHIV suppressive factors. They and their genes have potential indiagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prevention of AIDS, other retrovirus-induced diseases.
DHHS Ref. No. E-008-96-0
Filed: 11/30/95
Inventors: Gallo, R., Lusso, P., et al.
Contact: Cindy K. Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232
Calcium Flips HIV Off-Switch
A calcium response modifier, carboxyamidotriazole (CAI) locks upAIDS virus long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter, prevents viralreplication jump from low latent to high lytic phase. Besides use intreating HIV-1 infection, CAI has antimetastatic properties, is inclinical trials for treating cancers such as AIDS-related Kaposi'ssarcoma.
Application: 08/353,765
Filed: 12/12/94
Inventors: Liotta, L., Kohn, E. C., et al.
Contact: Cindy K. Fuchs, (301) 496-7735, ext. 232
Peptide Lightens Skin Pigmentation
One regulator of melanin synthesis is Agouti signal protein (ASP),which has depigmenting activity. Invention provides bioactive ASPpeptides to down-regulate melanogenic enzymes; can treathyperpigmentary conditions, e.g., age spots, solar keratosis, darkenedwound-healing sites.
DHHS Ref. No.: E-165-95/0
Filed: 6/23/95
Inventor: Hearing, V. J.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
National Institute Of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
Trumping IL-12 to Treat Colitis
Intracellular parasites and bacteria incite macrophages/monocytes toproduce interleukin-12, a cytokine that promotes bowelinflammation. Invention inhibits IL-12, has potential for treatinginflammatory bowel diseases, including established and ulcerativecolitis, Crohn's disease.
Application: 08/547,979
Filed: 10/25/95
Inventors: Strober, W., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Safer Stem-Cell Engraftment
Recipients of transplanted hematopoietic stem cells must firstundergo systemic cytotoxic radiation and/or chemotherapy, to makespace for graft. To mitigate life-threatening side effects of this pre-conditioning _ such as immune deficiency, multi-organ toxicity,secondary malignancies _ invention enlists cytokines able to up-regulate receptors needed for stem cell homing, thus permitting lowerradiation/chemotherapy doses.
Application: 60/001,386
Filed: 7/21/95
Inventors: Mardiney III, M., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
Ligands Engage Autoimmune, Tumor Antigens
Novel T-cell receptor ligands modulate in vivo immune responses byinactivating or disarming T cells. Method has potential for antigen-specific treatment of autoimmune diseases and modifying responsesto tumor, vaccine or tissue-transplant antigens.
Application: 60/004,936
Filed: 1/15/93
Inventors: Germain, R. N., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
National Eye Institute
Epithelial Nerve Factor to Treat Eye, CNS
Recombinant pigment epithelium-derived factor (rPEDF) is aneurotrophic, neuron-survival and gliastatic protein. Invention coversnucleic acids encoding rPEDF, vectors, host cells, antibodies to theprotein, and an immunoassay. Technology would treat inflammatory,vascular, degenerative and dystrophic diseases of retina and centralnervous system.
Application: 08/257,963
Filed: 6/7/94
Inventors: Chader, G. H., et al.
Contact: Jaconda Wagner, (301) 496-7735, ext. 284
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