[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 140 (Friday, July 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42352-42353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14499]


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

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.

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

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.

Cloning of a Genomic DNA Fragment Containing the Guinea Pig CXCR1 Gene, 
a Specific Receptor for Guinea Pig Interleukin-8

Teizo Yoshimura (NCI)
HHS Reference No. E-242-2005/0--Research Tool
Licensing Contact: Jesse S. Kindra; (301) 435-5559; 
[email protected].

    The present invention relates to cloning of a genomic DNA fragment 
containing the guinea pig CXCR1 gene, a specific receptor for guinea 
pig interleukin-8 (IL-8).
    More specifically, the IL-8-CXCR1 axis is a major chemokine-
chemokine receptor system that regulates the recruitment of neutrophils 
into sites of inflammation. In this invention, the inventors cloned a 
genomic DNA clone containing the gene for guinea pig IL-8 receptor 
CXCR1. Mice and rats are the most commonly used small animals to 
examine the efficacy of drugs developed for human use. However, neither 
IL-8 nor CXCR1, a specific receptor for IL-8, is present in these 
animals, making it impossible to use them as a model to test the 
effects or IL-8 or CXCR1 antagonists. Identification of CXCR1, along 
with IL-8, in the guinea pig may enable evaluation of the in vivo 
effects of the antagonists.
    In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further 
development through collaborative research opportunities with the 
inventors.

Anti-CD30 Antibodies That Bind To Intact CD30 but not to Soluble CD30

Satoshi Nagata and Ira Pastan (NCI)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/681,929 filed 16 May 2005 (HHS 
Reference No. E-208-2005/0-US-01),
Licensing Contact: Jesse S. Kindra; (301) 435-5559; 
[email protected].

    Human CD30 is a promising target for cancer immunotherapy since 
CD30 is highly expressed in Hodgkin's disease and anaplastic large-cell 
lymphoma. However, soluble CD30, the extracellular domain of CD30 that 
is shed from the cells, can reduce the effects of CD30-targeting agents 
by competitive binding.
    This invention is the first successful attempt of producing CD30-
targeting agents without the disadvantage of the reducing effects 
caused by soluble CD30. More specifically, two (2) epitopes on 
membrane-associated CD30 have been identified that are missing on 
soluble CD30. These epitopes are potentially superior targets for 
immunotherapy since targeting the epitopes should be free from the 
competitive effects of soluble CD30. Accordingly, the antibodies 
described in this invention may be used as targeting reagents for 
cancer therapy.
    In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further

[[Page 42353]]

development through collaborative research opportunities with the 
inventors.

Isolation, Cloning and Characterization of New Adeno-Associated Virus 
(AAV) Serotypes

Michael Schmidt et al. (NIDCR)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/676,604 filed 29 April 2005 (HHS 
Reference No. E-179-2005/0-US-01)
Licensing Contact: Jesse S. Kindra; (301) 435-5559; 
[email protected].
    This invention relates to new adeno-associated viruses (AAV), 
vectors and particles derived therefrom and also provides methods for 
delivering specific nucleic acids to cells using the AAV vectors and 
particles. Vectors based on these new AAV serotypes may have a 
different host range and different immunological properties, thus 
allowing for more efficient transduction in certain cell types. In 
addition, characterization of these new serotypes will aid in 
identifying viral elements required for tissue tropism.
    More specifically, in order to identify and characterize novel AAV 
isolates for development as gene therapy vectors, the inventors 
screened approximately one hundred (100) viral stocks. The inventors 
cloned and sequenced the genomes of AAVs found in twelve (12) simian 
adenovirus isolates and determined that the AAVs were novel. Ten (10) 
of these isolates had high similarity to AAV1 and AAV6 (>98%). Despite 
the high homology to AAV6, these novel AAVs demonstrated distinct cell 
tropisms and reactivity towards a panel of lectins, suggesting that 
they may use a distinct entry pathway. Therefore, these novel AAVs may 
be useful for gene therapy applications.
    In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further 
development through collaborative research opportunities with the 
inventors.

Anti-Mesothelin Antibodies Useful for Immunological Assays

Ira H. Pastan and Masanori Onda (NCI)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/681,104 filed 12 May 2005 (HHS 
Reference No. E-015-2005/0-US-01),
Licensing Contact: Jesse S. Kindra; (301) 435-5559; 
[email protected].

    This invention provides antibodies that have a surprisingly good 
combination of affinity for mesothelin and ability to be used in 
immunological assays for detecting the presence of mesothelin in 
biological samples. The invention further relates to methods of using 
antibodies and kits comprising them. The antibodies can also be used to 
target toxins and other agents to cells expressing mesothelin, and can 
be used in methods and medicaments for inhibiting the growth of such 
cells.
    In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further 
development through collaborative research opportunities with the 
inventors.

Methods for the Identification and Use of Compounds Suitable for the 
Treatment of Drug Resistant Cells

Gergely Szakacs et al. (NCI)
HHS Reference No. E-075-2004/2-PCT-01 filed 17 Jun 2005
Licensing Contact: Jesse S. Kindra; (301) 435-5559; 
[email protected].

    There is an important need to overcome cancer multiple drug 
resistance (MDR). ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are a family 
of transporter proteins that contribute to drug resistance via ATP-
dependent drug efflux pumps. Accordingly, based on the expression 
profile of 48 ABC transporters in sixty (60) cell lines, the present 
invention provides a method to identify (1) drugs that retain action in 
cells expressing MDR proteins, (2) compounds that reduce MDR by 
interfering with the efflux pumps. In addition, the invention describes 
a method to identify compounds whose antiproliferative effect is 
potentiated by the ABCB1/MDR1 transporter. These compounds might avoid 
the well-documented side-effects observed in clinical trials of 
``classical'' MDR1 inhibitors and may serve as leads for development of 
novel anti-cancer agents to treat resistant disease.

    Dated: July 15, 2005.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 05-14499 Filed 7-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P