[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74829-74830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7411]


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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, HHS.

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.

ADDRESES:  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.

Antibodies and Immunotoxins that Target Human Glycoprotein NMB

Ira Pastan (NCI) et al.
U.S. Provisional Patent Application filed 31 Oct 2005 (HHS Reference 
No. E-003-2006/0-US-01).
Licensing Contact: Jesse Kindra; 301-435-5559; [email protected].

[[Page 74830]]

    The human transmembrane glycoprotein NMB (GPNMB) and a splice 
variant form are highly expressed in the cells of several forms of 
brain cancer when compared to normal brain cells. This invention 
combines Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) attached to an Fv antibody fragment 
that targets cells expressing GPNMB but not GPNMB-negative or normal 
cells. Results show that this antibody-immunotoxin conjugate inhibits 
the growth of cells expressing human glycoprotein GPNMB, including 
glioblastoma multiform cells, anaplastic astrocytoma cells, anaplastic 
oligodendroglioma cells and melanoma cells.

Method of Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Xin Wei Wang (NCI) et al.
U.S. Provisional Application filed (HHS Reference No. E-333-2005/0-US-
01).
Licensing Contact: David A. Lambertson; 301-435-4632; 
[email protected].

    Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a common and aggressive cancer 
with a high mortality rate. The high mortality rate stems from an 
inability to diagnose the cancer in patients, due to the lack of 
available biomarkers for HCC. Currently, HCC is diagnosed by measuring 
the levels of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP); however, AFP is not always 
present in HCC tumors, especially small tumors. As a result, there is a 
need for improved diagnostic tests for diagnosing HCC in subjects.
    The instant technology relates to efficient methods of detecting 
HCC by using new biomarkers for HCC. The overexpression of Gpc3, Mdk, 
SerpinI1, PEG-10 and QP-C correlates with the presence of HCC, even in 
small tumors, and regardless of serum levels of AFP. By comparing the 
expression levels of at least three of these markers in subject samples 
with their expression levels in control samples, the presence of HCC 
can be diagnosed. The method can also be used to monitor the 
progression or regression of HCC in a subject after the initial 
diagnosis, or to identify compounds having anti-HCC activity by 
measuring the expression levels of Gpc3, Mdk, SerpinI1, PEG-10 and QP-C 
following the treatment of a sample with test compounds. Current claims 
are directed to methods for screening for HCC in a sample, methods for 
monitoring the progression or regression of HCC in a subject, methods 
for screening compounds as having anti-HCC activity, and arrays/kits 
comprising polynucleotide probes for detecting the level of Gpc3, Mdk, 
SerpinI1, PEG-10 and QP-C mRNA expression.
    In addition to licensing, the technology (in conjunction with serum 
ELISA technologies) is available for further development through 
collaborative research opportunities with the inventors.

Mouse Polyclonal Antibodies to KAI1

Mary Custer et al. (NCI).
HHS Reference No. E-264-2005/0--Research Tool.
Licensing Contact: John Stansberry; 301/435-5236, 
[email protected].

    The invention relates to polyclonal antibodies to the mouse 
metastasis suppressor gene KAI1. KAI1 is down regulated in advanced 
stages of various human epithelial malignancies. For example, 
expression levels of KAI1 are inversely correlated with the metastasis 
potential of human prostate cancer. This antibody would be useful in 
the characterization of the normal function of the KAI1 protein and it 
would be useful in efforts to investigate KAI1 role in metastasis 
suppression in experimental animal models.

    Dated: December 8, 2005.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. E5-7411 Filed 12-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P