[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 2 (Thursday, January 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 335-336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing
AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, DHHS.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
XAGE-1, A Gene Expressed in Multiple Cancers and Uses Thereof
Drs. Ira H. Pastan (NCI), Xiu F. Liu (NCI), Byungkook Lee (NCI) and Lee
J. Helman (NCI)
DHHS Ref. No. E-161-00/0 (Provisional Application) filed September 1,
2000 and E-161-00/1 (PCT Application) filed August 31, 2001
Licensing Contact: Richard Rodriguez; 301/496-7056 ext. 287; e-
mail: [email protected].
The XAGE-1 gene is a human X-linked gene that is strongly expressed
in breast cancer, lung cancer and several other cancers as well as
normal testes. The largest open reading frame of the XAGE-1 transcript
encodes a putative protein of 16.3 kD (p16) with a potential
transmembrane domain at the amino terminus. In addition, the XAGE-1
transcript contains a second ATG in the reading frame corresponding to
residue 66, which would encode a 9 kD protein (p9). In vitro
transfection experiments using 293 T cells have revealed a 9 kD
protein. However, the size of the endogenously expressed protein is not
yet known. XAGE-1 shares homology with GAGE/PAGE proteins in the C-
terminal end.
[[Page 336]]
The invention relates to the fact that the XAGE-1 gene is expressed
in a number of human cancers, specifically: breast, lung, prostate,
pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. The proteins p9 and p16, immunogenic
fragments thereof, analogs of these proteins, and nucleic acids
encoding these proteins, fragments, or analogs, can be administered to
persons with XAGE-1 expressing cancers to raise or augment an immune
response to the cancer. The invention further provides nucleic acid
sequences encoding the protein, as well as expression vectors, host
cells, and antibodies to the proteins. Further, the invention provides
immunoconjugates that comprise an antibody to p16 or to p9, and an
effector molecule, such as a label, a radioisotope, or a toxin. The
invention also provides methods of inhibiting the growth of XAGE-1
expressing cells by contacting them with immunoconjugates of an anti-p9
or p16 antibody and a toxic moiety. The invention also provides kits
for the detection of p9 or p16 proteins in a sample. The XAGE-1 gene
and encoded protein could be of value in the development of a cancer
diagnostic and/or a cancer immunotherapy.
The above mentioned invention is available for licensing on an
exclusive or non-exclusive basis.
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in Diagnosis and Treatment of
Thyroid Neoplasms
Tito A. Fojo and Susan Bates (NCI)
DHHS Reference No. E-286-00/0 filed 10 Jan 2001
Licensing Contact: Matthew Kiser; 301/496-7056 ext. 224; e-mail:
[email protected].
The invention disclosed are novel approaches to thyroid cancer
therapy. These approaches include methods to enhance thyroid specific
gene expression, for example methods to enhance expression of
thyroglobulin and/or the Na/I symporter in thyroid cancer cells.
Enhanced expression of thyroid-specific genes promotes cellular
differentiation and reduces biologically aggressive behavior such as
invasion and metastasis. In addition, enhanced expression of
thyroglobulin and/or the Na/I symporter increases the ability of
thyroid cancer cells to concentrate iodine, thereby making the cells
more susceptible to radioactive iodine therapy. Also disclosed are
methods for detecting thyroid neoplasms in a subject, by administering
a therapeutically effective amount of a histone deacetylase inhibitor,
administering a detectable agent whose uptake or concentration in
thyroid cells is increased by administration of the histone deacetylase
inhibitor, and detecting the detectable agent.
Dated: December 20, 2001.
Jack Spiegel,
Director, Division of Technology, Development and Transfer, Office of
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 02-11 Filed 1-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P