[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 111 (Friday, June 10, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33910-33911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11577]


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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.

Proteomic Profiles Associated With Aging

Dr. Shari M. Ling (NIA).
DHHS Reference No. E-354-2004/1--Research Tool.
Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].

    This invention relates to proteomic profiles associated with normal 
aging. Biological markers (Biomarkers) that characterize the state of 
``normal aging'' could provide a useful comparison for biomarkers of 
age-associated diseases (cardiovascular, cancer, arthritis). The 
profiles could then be used to develop markers linked with other 
diseases.
    The proteins identified could either be included in elisa or 
multiplex assays, or incorporated into a protein-based chip. These 
products would be of utility to characterize research subjects for 
clinical trials. Specific proteins or groups of proteins could be used 
as potential therapeutic targets to prevent or attenuate disease 
development or help to improve the normal aging process.
    In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further 
development through collaborative research opportunities with the 
inventors.

AlphaB-Crystallin/HSPBE Gene Knockout Mouse

Dr. Eric F. Wawrousek, et al. (NEI).
DHHS Reference No. E-135-2001/0--Research Tool.
Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; (301) 435-4426; 
[email protected].

    The alpha crystallins and other members of the small heat shock 
family of proteins, have been shown to be very important proteins for 
preventing the irreversible destruction of other proteins. AlphaA is 
mostly restricted to the ocular lens, while alphaB is present in almost 
all cells of the body with the highest levels in ocular lens, heart, 
and skeletal muscle. The NIH has created lines of mice, which lack the 
alphaB-crystallin gene (and unintentionally, its neighboring gene 
HSPB2). These mouse lines could be used to study functions of these 
proteins in the eye, skeletal muscle, heart, and any other tissue or 
organ.
    In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further 
development through collaborative research opportunities with the 
inventors.

Three Myelin Basic Protein-Specific T Cell Clones, TL2A6, TL5F6, and 
TL5G7 That Are Restricted by Multiple Sclerosis-Associated HLA-DR 
Molecules and Recognize the Immunodominant Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) 
Peptide MBP (83-99)

Dr. Roland Martin, et al. (NINDS).
DHHS Reference No. E-277-1999/0--Research Tool.
Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; (301) 435-4426; 
[email protected].

    Autoreactive T cell clones such as TL3A6 and TL5F6 that recognize 
an autoantigen, which is potentially relevant for an autoimmune 
disease, for example, multiple sclerosis (MS), offer the potential to 
examine the disease pathogenesis and develop new treatments. Such 
treatments aim at disrupting or interfering with the specific 
interaction between autoreactive T cells, antigen presenting cells and 
antigenic peptide. Current treatments have immunomodulatory effects and 
side effects. These T cell lines will be useful for developing novel 
treatment approaches for multiple sclerosis. The T cell lines can be 
used to test treatments that block or interfere with surface receptors 
of these cells.

Mouse Model for Myasthenia Gravis

Dr. Michael J. Lenardo et al. (NIAID).
DHHS Reference No. E-188-1999/0--Research Tool.

[[Page 33911]]

Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; (301) 435-4426; 
[email protected].

    Myasthenia gravis is a disease that causes muscle weakness and 
paralysis due to an autoimmune process that attacks the muscle. So far 
no mouse model has been available which has limited investigation of 
the disease and the development of better treatments or a cure. Our 
inventors have created a transgenic mouse strain that manifests 
immunological reactivity that underlines myasthenia gravis.

Use of Transgenic Mice To Assess the Systemic Effects of Tissue 
Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP) on Tumor Progression, Liver 
Fibrosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Wound Healing, and Angiogenesis

Dr. Unnur P. Thorgeirsson, et al. (NCI).
DHHS Reference No. E-273-1998/0--Research Tool.
Licensing Contact: Marlene Shinn-Astor; (301) 435-4426; 
[email protected].

    NIH researchers have produced transgenic mice over expressing human 
tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (hTIMP) in the liver under the 
control of an albumin promoter. These mice produce large amounts of 
hTIMP-1 for extended periods of time, resulting in high levels of 
biologically active inhibitor released into the systemic circulation. 
In considering that the sustained high levels of circulating hTIMP-1 do 
not appear to affect the general health of these mice, this model can 
be used to study the protective effects of TIMP-1 on diseases, which 
involve extensive proteolytic matrix degradation and tissue remodeling. 
Examples of such diseases include malignant tumors, liver fibrosis, 
wound healing, rheumatoid arthritis, and a variety of 
angioproliferative diseases.

    Dated: June 3, 2005.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 05-11577 Filed 6-9-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P