Harrier Inc. said Monday that it has received a notice of allowancefrom the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office covering its claims to anovel method of using and producing gylcosides. The company said itexpects the process patent to issue shortly.

Glycosylation, or the attachment of a sugar (carbohydrate) to themolecular structure of a chemical compound, is a means by whichchemists attempt to modify and enhance the physical andbiochemical properties of existing drugs or to create new drugs.

With the Harrier method, an alcohol or phenol, especially a hydroxy-steroid such as a water insoluble cholesterol, is glycosylated in asingle step through the use of mild catalyst. The company believesthe applicability of the process can be expanded to include morecomplex sugars and their attachment at other chemical sitespreviously difficult or impossible to accomplish by standardmethods.

Harrier (NASDAQ:HARE) of Los Angeles is engaged in a research anddevelopment joint venture with American Diagnostica Inc. to modifythe physical properties and bioavailability of select pharmaceuticalcompounds.

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