[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 9831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4529]


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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.

Methods for Imaging the Lymphatic System Using Dendrimer-Based Contrast 
Agents

    Martin W. Brechbiel (NCI); U.S. Patent Application No. 10/756,948 
filed 13 Jan 2004 (DHHS Reference No. E-338-2003/0-US-01); Licensing 
Contact: Michael Shmilovich; 301/435-5019; [email protected].
    Available for licensing are methods for lymphatic system imaging 
using 4D Magnetic Resonance lymphography and a 240kD contract agent 
based on generation-6 polyamidoamine dendrimer (G6). The disclosed 
methods are applicable to the imaging of all lymphatic structures, but 
in particular embodiments are particularly suited for imaging specific 
parts of the lymphatic system such as lymph nodes or lymphatic vessels. 
The methods permit the assessment of abnormal conditions within the 
lymphatic system, such as lymphoma/lymphoproliferative disease, 
inflammation, and cancer metastasis. The dendrimer also may be used to 
identify and locate sentinel lymph nodes into which lymph fluid flows 
from a tumor. The conventional clinically approved MRI contract agent, 
Gd-[DTPA]-dimeglumine (<1kD) was unable (in murine models) to depict 
lymphatics when used in conjunction with the same imaging system. Thus, 
the present dendrimer provides a novel method to visualize lymphatic 
drainage that has not been previously reported.

Apparatus and Method for High Speed Countercurrent Chromatography of 
Peptides and Proteins

    Yoichiro Ito (NHLBI); PCT Application No. PCT/US03/09189 filed 25 
Mar 2003, which published as WO 03/087807 on 23 Oct 2003 (DHHS 
Reference No. E-148-2001/0-PCT-02); U.S. Provisional Application No. 
60/457,058 filed 21 Mar 2003 (DHHS Reference No. E-014-2003/0-US-01); 
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/464,665 filed 24 Apr 2003 (DHHS 
Reference No. E-046-2003/0-US-01); Licensing Contact: Michael 
Shmilovich; 301/435-5019; [email protected].
    This invention is an improved column design for High Speed Counter 
Current Chromatography (HSCCC) that increases partition efficiency by 
using novel column geometries. A standard HSCCC centrifuge uses a 
multilayer coil as a separation column to produce a high efficiency 
separation with good retention of the stationary phase in many solvent 
systems. However, the standard HSCCC, when used for highly viscous, low 
interfacial tension solvent systems, is unsuccessful at retaining a 
suitable amount of the stationary phase. This invention greatly 
improves efficiency by modifying the column from a coil to spiral 
geometry. Therefore, this invention creates a centrifugal force 
gradient, which allows for distribution of the heavier phase in the 
peripheral and the lighter phase in the proximal parts of the column. 
The effect of the gradient becomes more pronounced as the pitch of the 
spiral is increased.
    The apparatus can be stacked on a support (E-014-2003) that 
provides additive net spiral flow geometry. When mounted, it will 
produce efficient separation of proteins and peptides. Also, efficient 
stationary phase retention can be achieved through the use of a plate 
apparatus (E-046-2003) that comprises a disk shaped column support 
having a spiral groove formed on its surface. At least one layer of 
fluid flow tubing is positioned substantially within the spiral groove. 
The countercurrent chromatography effect is produced by rotating the 
disk shaped column on a planar motion device.

    Dated: February 24, 2004.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 04-4529 Filed 3-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P