PENDING PATENTSBioWorld Today continues its occasional listings ofgovernment agencies seeking industrial licensees andCRADA partners to commercialize their research-and-development inventions. The following ten offers weresubmitted in recent days by the National Institutes ofHealth (NIH), Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), forpublication in the Federal Register.

To obtain licensing information, and copies of thepending U.S. patent applications listed below, contactOTT licensing specialist John Fahner-Vitelic, at (301)496-7735, extension 285, unless another informant islisted.

National Cancer Institute

Cephalotaxine To Treat Leukemia (CRADA Offered)

Homoharringtonine, a cephalotaxine ester isolated fromthe cephalotaxus evergreen indigenous to China, hasshown promising activity in patients with chronicmyelogenous leukemia. CRADA would includeconfirmatory Phase II and III clinical trials.

NIH seeks a company or companies to develop andcommercialize this compound under a cooperativeresearch and development agreement (CRADA). ContactMichael Christini (301) 496-0477

Application: FR# 95-25731

Filed: 10/16/95

Inventors: Dale Shoemaker, et al.

N.B. Proposal deadline _ 5 p.m., 12/18/95

Detecting Functional p53 In Mammalian Cells

The most commonly mutated gene identified to date inhuman cancers is p53. Invention describes a specificgene, dependent for expression on functional p53 in cellsand tumors, and a diagnostic kit to detect the gene'spresence.

Application: 08/288,872

Filed: 8/10/94

Inventors: Ron Crystal, et al.

B-Lymphoma Cell Line And Antigen

This first B-cell line of tumor origin is IL-6-dependent.Invention includes monoclonal antibody for detectingneoplastic cells by recognizing an ectopic antigen.

Application: 08/287,718.

Filed: 8/9/94

Inventors: G. H. Bock, et al.

cDNA Cloning Unmasks ras-Related Oncogenes

A mutant ras-related protein cloned from expressioncDNA of ovarian carcinoma cell line. Its detection ofpoint mutations at protein or gene level permitsdiagnosing cancers or monitoring disease progression.

Application: 08/247/946

Filed: 5/24/94

Inventors: S. Aaronson, et al.

Prostate-Associated Monoclonals

Monoclonal antibodies that bind a prostate-associatedantigen, for individual use or conjugated to drugs, labels,radioisotopes or cytotoxins targeted to prostate cells.Invention also provides hybridoma cell line and methodsto screen for metastatic prostate cancer.

Application: 07/958,140

Filed: 10/8/92

Inventor: Ira Pastan

Prostate Cell Lines To Screen Anti-Cancer Drugs

Culturing cell lines of invention together with compoundof interest tests for drug's anti-carcinogenic, -neoplastic, -invasive or -metastatic activity. Cell lines are useful fordetermining causes, treatment, prevention of prostatecancer and hyperplasia, male infertility, birth defects,aging.

Application: 08/284.843

Filed: 4/28/94

Inventors: J. S. Rhim, et al.

Phosphonoalkyl Compounds For Peptide Synthesis

Novel phosphonodifluoromethyl phenylalanine deri-vatives for synthesizing signal transduction peptidescontaining phosphotyrosyl mimetic F2Pmp.

Application: 08/073, 088

Filed: 6/8/93

Inventors: T. R. Burke, et al.

Antibodies To Human LINE-1 p40 Protein

Antibodies to rarely expressed human LINE-1 sequenceshave been detected in cell lines and tissues derived fromhuman teratocarcinomas and breast tumors. Specific top40 protein portion of the retrotransposon, they candetermine LINE-1 expression and role in tumor cells.

U. S. Patent No. 5,280,108

Issued: 1/18/94

Inventor: T. G. Fanning

National Institute Of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal & SkinDiseases

Recombinant Protein For Skin Diseases, Wound Healing

Invention discloses gene sequence of human trichohyalin,a structural protein of hair follicle. Its cDNA cross-linksother proteins when catalyzed by transglutaminase-3.Resulting, naturally occurring proteinaceous gel haspotential for treating skin diseases, protecting openwounds and burns, stabilizing food products and incosmetics.

Application: 08/056,200

Filed: 4/30/93

Inventors: Peter Steinert, et al.

Contact: Carol Lavrich, (301) 496-7735, extension 287

National Institute Of Child Health & HumanDevelopment

Serotonin Regulation To Enhance Sleep, Alertness

Recent cloning of ovine and human cDNAs encodingpineal enzyme serotonin N-acetyltransferase is a steptoward developing drugs that raise serotonin levels byinhibiting this enzyme. Its activators may help induce orenhance night time sleep; inhibitors would stimulatealertness and physical activity, delay onset of fatigue.

Application: DHHS Ref. No. E-222-95/0

Inventors: Klein, et al.

Contact: Stephen Finley, (301) 496-7056, extension 215

_ Compiled by David N. Leff

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