[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 26 (Thursday, February 7, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5834-5835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2908]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The invention listed below is owned by an agency of the U.S. 
Government and is 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 
application listed below may be obtained by contacting Catherine Joyce, 
Ph.D., J.D., at the Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes 
of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, Maryland 
20852-3804; telephone: 301/496-7056 ext. 258; fax:

[[Page 5835]]

301/402-0220; e-mail: [email protected]. A signed Confidential 
Disclosure Agreement will be required to receive copies of the patent 
application.

Thymidylate Synthase Peptides that Bind to Thymidylate Synthase 
Messenger RNA

Drs. Carmen Allegra and Donna Voeller (NCI).
DHHS Reference No. E-311-00/0 filed Mar 07 2001.

    Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a folate-dependent enzyme that 
catalyzes the reductive methylation of 2'-deoxyuridine-5'monphosphate 
(dUMP) by the reduced folate-5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate to 
deoxythymidine 
5'-monophosphate (dTMP, thymidylate). Once synthesized, dTMP is 
phosphorylated to dTDP and then to dTTP, which is the direct precursor 
for DNA synthesis. Given the direct role of TS in the biosynthesis of 
dTMP and the finding that inhibition of dTMP synthesis results in 
prompt cessation of cellular proliferation and growth, TS represents an 
important target for cancer chemotherapy.
    Specific TS peptides have been discovered which bind to TS mRNA. 
These peptides may be of use in screening assays to identify agents 
that bind TS mRNA or that inhibit the binding of TS protein to TS mRNA. 
These peptides are also of use in treating subjects in conjunction with 
other chemotherapeutic agents, and in identifying molecules and 
mimetics that bind TS mRNA or bind the bimolecular complex of TS 
protein and TS mRNA.
    The above-mentioned invention is available for licensing on an 
exclusive or non-exclusive basis.

    Dated: January 28, 2002.
Jack Spiegel,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 02-2908 Filed 2-6-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P