[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 72 (Monday, April 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18234-18235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9093]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: Glycoprotein Hormone 
Superagonists

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

ACTION: Notice.

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

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, is contemplating the grant of 
an exclusive license worldwide to practice the invention embodied in 
U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/185,408 filed May 6, 1996, and 
U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/057,113 filed January 24, 2002, 
entitled ``Glycoprotein Hormone Superagonists,'' to Trophogen, having a 
place of business in the state of Maryland. The field of use may be 
limited to the treatment of human infertility, Graves Disease, thyroid 
cancer, and contraceptives. The United States of America is the 
assignee of the patent rights in this invention. This announcement 
replaces three previous notices to grant an exclusive license to this 
technology: July 19, 1999 (64 FR 38685), February 7, 2000 (65 FR 5878-
5879), and May 15, 2001 (66 FR 26871).

DATES: Only written comments and/or application for a license, which 
are received by the NIH Office of Technology Transfer on or before June 
14, 2002, will be considered.

ADDRESSES: Requests for a copy of the patent applications, inquiries, 
comments and other materials relating to the contemplated license 
should be directed to: Marlene Shinn, Technology Licensing Specialist, 
Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 
Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, MD 20852-3821; Telephone: 
(301) 496-7056, ext. 285; Facsimile: (301) 402-0220; E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This invention relates generally to modified 
glycoprotein hormones and specifically to modifications to a human

[[Page 18235]]

glycoprotein, which create superagonist activity. Glycoprotein hormones 
comprise a family of hormones, which are structurally related 
heterodimers consisting of a species common  sub-unit and a 
distinct  sub-unit that confers the biological activity for 
each hormone. However, this invention is not limited to specific 
hormones, specific subjects such as humans as well as non-humans 
mammals, specific amino acids, specific clinical conditions, specific 
analogs, or specific methods.
    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.
    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, 5 U.S.C. 552.

    Dated: April 3, 2002.
Jack Spiegel,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer.
[FR Doc. 02-9093 Filed 4-12-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P