[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 5563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2561]
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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, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned by agencies 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.
Pseudomonas Exotoxin A-Like Chimeric Immunogens
David J. Fitzgerald (NCI)
Serial No. 60.052,375 filed 11 Jul 97 (Assignee: United States
Government)
Licensing Contact: Robert Benson, 301/496-7056 ext. 267
This invention concerns a recombinantly made chimeric immunogen
comprising a non-toxic version of Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE) in which
the Ib domain is replaced with a non-native epitope. This immunogen can
be used as a vaccine, either as a protein or as DNA, and can elicit
humoral, cell-medicated and secretory immune responses against the non-
native epitope. The non-native epitope fits into the cysteine-cysteine
loop of the Ib domain, thus epitopes normally part of a loop are held
in their natural conformation. Chimeric immunogens comprising the V3
loop of the HIV-1 env protein have been shown to raise, in rabbits,
neutralizing antibodies against clinical isolates of HIV, some cross-
protection was seen. Anti-V3 IgA antibodies were raised upon mucosal
administration. The claims cover: (a) Chimeric immunogens, (b) nucleic
acids encoding chimeric immunogens, (c) antibodies raised against
chimeric immunogens, (d) vaccines and methods of immunization.
Pseudomonas Exotoxin A-Like Chimeric Immunogens for Mucosal Immunity
David J. Fitzgerald (NCI) and Randall J. Mrsny (Genentech Corp.)
Serial No. 60/056,924 filed 11 Jul 97 (Assignees: United States
Government and Genentech Corporation)
Licensing Contact: Robert Benson, 301/496-7056 ext. 267
This invention claims the use of the chimeric immunogens claimed in
60/052,375 to elicit a secretory IgA-medicated immune response. The
inventors have shown that parenteral and mucosal administration of the
HIV V3 loop/Exotoxin A chimeric immunogen to rabbits raises both a
humoral and cell-medicated immune response against HIV. Both parenteral
and mucosal administration result in IgG and IgA antibodies being
raised, mucosal administration resulted in higher IgA production.
Compositions comprising secretory IgA reactive with the non-native
epitope are also claimed.
Pin*Point--A Method To Determine Transcription Factor Binding Site In
Vivo
Jay Chung (NHLBI)
Serial Nos. 08/826,622 and 08/825,664 filed 03 Apr 97
Licensing Contact: Joseph Contrera, 301/496-7056 ext. 244
Transcription factors play central roles in many disease processes:
cancer, AIDS, developmental aberrations, aging and obesity, just to
name a few. Therefore, understanding these disease processes and
finding cures for them will be greatly assisted by the capability to
determine the genes targeted by the transcription factors in vivo.
Toward this end, we have designed an in vivo method PIN*POINT) ProteIN
POsition Identification with Nuclease Tail). In this method, a fusion
protein composed of a chosen protein linked to a non-sequence specific
nuclease is expressed in vivo and the binding of the protein to DNA is
made detectable by the nuclease-induced cleavage near the binding site.
For example, p53-nuclease fusion protein expressed in vivo will bind to
the p53 binding site and mark it by cleaving the DNA near it. The
cleavage site can be identified by a number of techniques currently
available. A mammalian expression vector designed to express a fusion
protein consisting of a polypeptide of one's choice and the nuclease is
available as are expression vectors for Sp1 nuclease, TBP (TATA binding
protein)-nuclease (for identifying promoters of genes) and other
transcription factors. PIN*POINT is described in a paper soon to be
published by Lee et al., (1998) PNAS 95, 060-974.
Dated: January 23, 1998.
Barbara M. McGarey,
Deputy Director, Office of Technology Transfer.
[FR Doc. 98-2561 Filed 2-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M