[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 119 (Friday, June 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37005-37006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15547]


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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.

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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.

Protein Arginine N-methyltransferase 2 (PRMT-2)

Dr. Elizabeth Nabel (NHLBI)
DHHS Reference No. E-190-2003
Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected]

    The Protein Arginine Methyltansferases (PRMTs) include a family of 
proteins with related putative methyltransferase domains that modify 
chromatin and regulate cellular transcription. These PRMTs catalyze the 
posttranslational methylation of arginine residues in proteins, 
resulting in the mono- and dimethylation of arginine on the guanidine 
group.
    The NIH announces the characterization of one member of the PRMT 
family, PRMT-2. It has been found that PRMT-2 proteins can modulate the 
activity of Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF[kappa]B) and STAT3. PRMT-2 
inhibits NF[kappa]B dependent transcription by causing nuclear 
accumulation of I[kappa]B[alpha], which concomitantly decreases nuclear 
NF[kappa]B DNA binding. PRMT-2 modulates glucose and lipid metabolism, 
and controls body weight. The regulation of leptin and insulin 
signaling by PRMT-2 methylation of STAT3 may be a new target for 
treatment of diabetes and metabolic syndrome diseases such as type2 
diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. By screening for drugs that 
modulate PRMT-2 activity or expression, or cellular factors that are 
influenced by PRMT-2, one will be able to treat or prevent diseases 
such as, inflammation, allergies, cancer, obesity, diabetes, 
hyperlipidemia, adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), asthma, 
allograft rejection, vasculitis, and vascular restenosis, as well as 
other conditions that are typically responsive to inhibition of 
NF[kappa]B or that are responsive to methylated STAT3.

Mouse Monoclonal Antibodies Against Human IKKgamma/NEMO Protein

Dr. Kuan-Teh Jeang (NIAID)
DHHS Reference No. E-118-2003--Research Tool
Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].
    NF-kB has been found to be important in immune responses, cell 
proliferation, apoptosis, and in organ development. Several years ago 
it was discovered that an IKKgamma/NEMO protein was essential as an 
adaptor molecule to mediate TNF-alpha, IL-1, and oncoprotein induced 
activation of NF-kB. Mutation in IKKgamma/NEMO also results in two 
human genetic diseases, Familial incontinentia pigmenti and 
hypohidrotic/anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. The NIH announces mouse 
monoclonal antibodies to IKKgamma/NEMO that are far superior to other 
immunological reagents. It is anticipated that the antibodies would 
have both research and diagnostic capabilities.

Method for Preparing 17[alpha]-acetoxy-11[beta]-(4,N,N-
dimethylaminophenyl)-19-norpregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione, Intermediates 
Thereof, and Methods for the Preparation of Such Intermediates

H.K. Kim, et al. (NICHD)
DHHS Reference No. E-113-2002/0-US-01
Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].

    The compound 17[alpha]-acetoxy-11[beta]-(4-N,N-dimethylamino-
phenyl)-19-norpregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione (CDB-2914) is a well known 
steroid which possesses antiprogestational and antiglucocorticodal 
activity. CDB-2914 could be used in contraception and therapeutic 
applications, including

[[Page 37006]]

fibroids and endometriosis. The NIH announces improvements in the 
process of producing CDB-2914. The new process shortens the overall 
number of synthetic steps from seven to five and shows an improvement 
in yield from 13% to 20%.
    This research is further described in Rao et al., Steroids, 65 
(2000), 395-400.

    Dated: June 13, 2003.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Acting Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, 
Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 03-15547 Filed 6-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P