[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 3172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1555]



[[Page 3172]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Availability of Government-Owned Invention; Available 
for Licensing

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy hereby gives notice of the general 
availability of exclusive or partially exclusive licenses under the 
following pending patent. Any license granted shall comply with 35 
U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR part 404. Applications will be evaluated 
utilizing the following criteria: (1) Ability to manufacture and market 
the technology; (2) manufacturing and marketing ability; (3) time 
required to bring technology to market and production rate; (4) 
royalties; (5) technical capabilities; and (6) small business status.
    Patent application Serial Number 09/978669 entitled ``A Novel Assay 
For Detecting Immune Responses Involving Antigen Specific Cytokine and/
or Antigen Specific Cytokine Secreting T-Cells'' filed 18 October 2001 
and its PCT/US01/32442. The present invention relates to a sensitive 
and specific assay and kit for IFN-gamma activity which is based on the 
detection of the chemokine monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG) 
as a measure of the biological effect of IFN-gamma rather than direct 
quantitation of IFN-gamma or IFN-gamma secreting cells per se. 
Upregulation of MIG expression was observed following in vitro 
activation of PBMC with defined CD8+ T cell epitopes derived from 
influenza virus, CMV, or EBV, and in all cases this was antigen-
specific, genetically restricted and dependent on both CD8+ T cells and 
IFN-gamma. Further, antigen-specific MIG expression was also 
demonstrated with P. falciparum CSP peptides, using PBMC from 
volunteers immunized with irradiated P. falciparum sporozoites. 
Responses as assessed by the MIG assay paralleled those detected by 
conventional IFN-gamma ELISPOT, but the magnitude of response and 
sensitivity of the MIG assay were superior. Our data validate this 
novel method for the detection of high as well as low levels of 
antigen-specific and genetically restricted IFN-gamma activity or MIG.

DATES: Applications for an exclusive or partially exclusive license may 
be submitted at any time from the date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Written objections are to be filed with the Office of 
Technology Transfer, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant 
Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Charles Schlagel, Director, Office 
of Technology Transfer, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant 
Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, telephone (301) 319-7428 or e-Mail 
at [email protected].

    Dated: November 26, 2001.
T.J. Welsh,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-1555 Filed 1-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P