[Federal Register: October 1, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 190)]
[Notices]
[Page 58930-58931]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01oc04-68]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing
AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S.
Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance
with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results
of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent
applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage
for companies and may also be available for licensing.
ADDRESSES: Licensing information and copies of the U.S. patent
applications listed below may be obtained by writing to the indicated
licensing contact at the Office of Technology Transfer, National
Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville,
Maryland 20852-3804; telephone: (301) 496-7057; fax: (301) 402-0220. A
signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement will be required to receive
copies of the patent applications.
Bovine Adeno-Associated Viral (BAAV) Vector and Uses Thereof
John Chiorini et al. (NIDCR)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/526,786 Filed 04 Dec 2003 (DHHS
Reference No. E-329-2003/0-US-01)
Licensing Contact: Jesse Kindra; (301) 435-5559;
kindraj@mail.nih.gov.
Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are common in humans, but no
disease has been associated with AAV infections. This, as well as
several other properties, has made AAVs potentially useful for gene
therapy. Bovine AAV (BAAV) is serologically distinct from AAVs isolated
from humans and may not be neutralized by circulating antibodies in
patients receiving gene therapy. Moreover, BAAV has a unique tropism
for various cell lines when compared to other AAVs. For instance,
recombinant BAAV transduced murine submandibular salivary glands about
ten times more efficiently than AAV-2. Therefore, BAAV may be a useful
addition to the repertoire of gene transfer tools because of its unique
serological identity, cell tropism, and efficient gene transfer in
vivo.
The present invention describes the isolation, subcloning and
sequencing of BAAV and provides a vector comprising BAAV viral
particles, or a vector comprising subparts of the vectors. The
invention also provides a method of delivering a nucleic acid to a cell
subject. We note that this vector may also have future application(s)
in the cattle industry.
This invention has been described in Schmidt et al. 2004. J. Virol.
78:6509-16.
Treatments for Inhibiting Development and Progression of Nevi and
Melanoma Having BRAF Mutations
Paul S. Meltzer (NHGRI)
PCT Application No. PCT/US03/32989 Filed 16 Oct 2003 (DHHS Reference
No. E-021-2003/0-PCT-01)
Licensing Contact: Charmaine Richman; (301) 451-7337;
richmanc@mail.nih.gov.
The technology encompasses activating mutations in the BRAF gene
that promote nevi and melanoma proliferation. These mutations produce
an activated form of B-Raf, a serine/threonine kinase participant in
the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK MAPK pathway. In one example of the activating BRAF
mutations, a 1796 T [rarr] A transversion produces a V599E mutated form
of B-Raf. This mutated form of B-Raf possesses a tenfold greater basal
kinase activity and induces focus formation in NIH3T3 cells 138 times
more efficiently than does wild type B-Raf. Methods of diagnosing BRAF
mutations in a subject, methods of treating nevi and melanoma in
subjects having BRAF mutations, methods of selecting treatments,
methods of screening for agents that influence B-Raf activity, and
methods of influencing the expression of BRAF or BRAF variants are also
claimed. Nucleotide sequences for use in the described methods are also
provided, as are protein-specific binding agents, such as antibodies,
that bind specifically to at least one epitope of a B-Raf variant
protein preferentially compared to wild type B-Raf.
Important publications: Oncogene (2004) 23, 4060-4067; Nature
(2002) 417(6892), 949-54.
[[Page 58931]]
Lentivirus Vector System
Suresh K. Arya (NCI)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/115,247 Filed 07 Jan 1999 (DHHS
Reference No. E-231-1998/0-US-01)
PCT Application No. PCT/US/00/00390 Filed 06 Jan 2000, which published
as WO 00/40741 on 13 Jul 2000 (DHHS Reference No. E-231-1998/0-PCT-02)
U.S. Patent Application No. 09/869,588 Filed 28 Jun 2001 (DHHS
Reference No. E-231-1998/0-US-03)
U.S. Patent Application No. 10/731,988 Filed 09 Dec 2003 (DHHS
Reference No. E-231-1998/0-US-04)
Licensing Contact: Jesse Kindra; (301) 435-5559;
kindraj@mail.nih.gov.
This application relates to the field of gene therapy. More
particularly the application describes a vector system useful in gene
therapy. The vectors employed in this system are lentiviral vectors,
particularly retroviral vectors based on HIV2. Retroviral vectors based
on HIV2, unlike most other retroviral vectors such as MuLV, are capable
of infecting non-proliferating cells thereby making them useful in
situations where other retroviral vectors are not. The vector system
uses a two vector approach to minimize the possibility of HIV infection
and comprises a transfer vector, for carrying the foreign gene of
interest, and a packaging vector. The transfer vector carries a
specific modification that demonstrates an improved ability to package
and express the gene of interest when compared to a control. In the
experimental system this increase was 25 fold. This improved packaging
and expression ability is one means to address current low viral titers
which are problematic in the gene therapy field.
This research has been published, in part, in Human Gene Therapy
1998 June 10; 9(9): 1371-86.
Food Quality Indicator Device
Dwight W. Miller, Jon G. Wilkes, Eric D. Conte (FDA)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/052,674 Filed 17 Jul 1997 (DHHS
Reference No. E-093-1997/0-US-01)
PCT Application No. PCT/US98/14780 Filed 16 Jul 1998, which published
as WO 99/04256 on 28 Jan 1999 (DHHS Reference No. E-093-1997/0-PCT-04)
U.S. Patent Application No. 09/116,152 Filed 16 Jul 1998 (DHHS
Reference No. E-093-1997/0-US-02)
U.S. Patent Application No. 10/005,004 Filed 04 Dec 2001 (DHHS
Reference No. E-093-1997/0-US-03)
Licensing Contact: George Pipia; (301) 435-5560;
pipiag@mail.nih.gov.
Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have invented
an effective way to monitor food quality and freshness in real time.
The major factor for food spoilage is the release of volatile gases due
to the action of enzymes contained within the food or produced by
microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts and molds growing in the food.
The rate of release of such gases depends on food's storage history. In
this technology, a reactive dye locked in a water-repellent material
reacts with the gases released during food decomposition, and changes
color. Thus a rapid and informed decision can be made about quality of
food and its shelf life under the storage conditions used. Since the
detection is based on biological processes that are the root cause for
food spoilage, these indicators are much more reliable.
This technology provides an excellent alternative to the current
methods for assessing food quality that cannot accurately estimate
shelf life of food products due to unreliable storage history. This
technology is also much less expensive than the current methods. These
indicators have been successfully tested on seafood and meats and can
be easily adapted to dairy products. This product is fully developed,
market-tested and ready for full commercial rollout.
Dated: September 22, 2004.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 04-22149 Filed 9-30-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P