[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 33 (Thursday, February 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7765-7766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3527]


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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 an agency 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.

SPATIAL for Altering Cell Proliferation

Ronald E. Gress, Francis A. Flomerfelt (NCI).
PCT Application No. PCT/US03/36874 filed 18 Nov 2003 (DHHS Reference 
No. E-177-2003/0-PCT-01).
Licensing Contact: Fatima Sayyid; (301) 435-4521; [email protected].


[[Page 7766]]


    The present invention provides methods useful for altering cell 
proliferation by modifying SPATIAL, a gene expressed predominantly in 
thymus and lymph node, activity in cells. In some methods the thymocyte 
numbers in subjects with disease-associated immunodeficiencies are 
increased by administering an agent that inhibits SPATIAL activity. 
Other methods include but are not limited to increasing thymocyte 
number in a subject by administering an agent that interferes with an 
interaction between SPATIAL and Uba3.

Methods for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and Other alpha-
synucleinopathies

M. Maral Mouradian and Eunsung Junn (NINDS)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/444,563 filed 02 Feb 2003 (DHHS 
Reference No. E-091-2003/0-US-01)
Licensing Contact: Norbert Pontzer; (301) 435-5502, 
[email protected]

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder 
characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia 
nigra pars compacta. During the course of the disease, proteinaceous 
cytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies appear in the dopaminergic 
neurons. Several lines of evidence point to a key role for alpha-
synuclein, a major constituent of Lewy bodies, in the pathogenesis of 
these disorders. In particular, the aggregation of this protein is 
believed to be deleterious to neurons. These inventors have now 
discovered that transglutaminase 2, also referred to as tissue 
transglutaminase, catalyzes alpha-synuclein cross-linking in vitro and 
in cultured cells. Evidence for the activity of this enzyme is also 
provided within the Lewy bodies in Parkinson's patients. The present 
invention provides novel methods for the treatment of Parkinson's 
disease and other alpha-synucleinopathies with inhibitors of 
transglutaminase, which can inhibit aggregation of alpha-synuclein. 
Also provided are screening assays for novel inhibitors of 
transglutaminase that may be used in the treatment of Parkinson's 
disease and other alpha-synucleinopathies. Further information may be 
found in Junn et al., PNAS 2003 100(4): 2047-2052.

    Dated: February 10, 2004.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 04-3527 Filed 2-18-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P