[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21003-21004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9809]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Prospect Grant of Exclusive License: Therapeutic and Diagnostic 
Uses of Novel Thiolesters for HIV and Other Applications

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This is notice in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209 (c)(1) and 37 
CFR 404.7 (a) (1) (i) that the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is contemplating the 
grant of an exclusive license worldwide to practice the inventions 
embodied in patents under ``Supplementary Information'' to Achillion 
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., having a place of business in New Haven, 
Connecticut. The patent rights in these inventions have been assigned 
to the government of the United States of America.

DATES: Only written comments and/or license applications which are 
received by the NIH Office of Technology Transfer on or before June 19, 
2000 will be considered.

ADDRESSES: Requests for a copy of these patent applications, inquiries, 
comments, and other materials relating to the contemplated license 
should be directed to: Mr. J.P. Kim, Technology Licensing Specialist, 
Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 
Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, Maryland 20852-3804; 
Telephone: (301) 496-7056, ext. 264; Facsimile: (301) 402-0220. A 
signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) may be required to 
receive copies of the patent application.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The patent applications to be licensed are: 
``Novel Thiolesters and Uses Thereof'', U.S. Provisional Patent 
Application Serial

[[Page 21004]]

No. 60/089,842, filing date 06/19/1998, ``Novel Thiolesters and Uses 
Thereof'', PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/US99/13856, 
International Filing Date 06/18/1999.
    The zinc finger has been found in many proteins and in a great 
variety of species (e.g., the zinc finger structure can be found in the 
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)). In viruses, the zinc-binding 
domains of nucleocapsid proteins have been identified as being involved 
in both early and late phases of viral replication, thus making them 
potentially attractive targets for antiviral agents.
    The present invention provides for a novel family of thiolesters 
and uses thereof. These thiolesters are capable of inactivating viruses 
and other agents by a variety of mechanisms, particularly by complexing 
with metal ion-complexing zinc fingers. The invention further provides 
for methods for inactivating a virus, such as HIV, using these 
compounds, and thereby also inhibiting transmission of the virus.
    The prospective exclusive license will be royalty-bearing and will 
comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7. 
The prospective exclusive license may be granted unless, within 60 days 
from the date of this published Notice, NIH receives written evidence 
and argument that establishes that the grant of the license would not 
be consistent with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.
    The field of use may be limited to the use of novel thiolesters of 
the invention for therapeutic and diagnostic uses for anti-viral and 
anti-retroviral (including anti-HIV/AIDS), anti-tumor, anti-parasitic 
(e.g., malaria), anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal applications, as well 
as for agricultural uses (e.g., insecticidal use).
    Properly filed competing applications for a license filed in 
response to this notice will be treated as objections to the 
contemplated license. Comments and objections submitted in response to 
this notice will not be made available for public inspection, and, to 
the extent permitted by law, will not be released under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552.

    Dated: April 13, 2000.
Jack Spiegel,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer.
[FR Doc. 00-9809 Filed 4-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P]