[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52549-52551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7439]


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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.

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/

[[Page 52550]]

496-7057; fax: 301/402-0220. A signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement 
will be required to receive copies of the patent applications.

Ghost Native-PAGE With Colorless Compound Derived From Coomassie 
Brilliant Blue

    Description of Technology: Protein staining dyes such as serva blue 
G or Coomassie blue are used to enhance the separation of protein 
complexes by binding to the proteins and differentially enhancing the 
net charge of the complexes improving the separation of the complexes 
using electrophoresis procedures. However, the intense blue color of 
Coomassie stains interferes with immunobloting and in gel colormetric 
or fluorescent studies. Available for licensing and commercial 
development is a colorless molecule that will bind and enhance the 
differential surface charge on protein complexes. The molecule has been 
demonstrated to work as well as Coomassie blue but will not interfere 
in gel assays critical for most investigations. This approach provides 
biochemists interested in protein complexes in biological tissues with 
the ability to separate protein complexes and perform in gel assays 
saving time and resources in this important emerging field.
    The compound and methods of its use is for polyacrylamide gel 
electrophoresis (PAGE) and related gel techniques for the analysis of 
protein complexes and defects in the same. Such analysis can be 
extended to the detection of various diseases, e.g., Alzheimer's 
disease or Parkinson's disease. One such compound has the following 
formula:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN06SE06.002

    Applications: Alzheimer's disease diagnostics; Parkinson's disease 
diagnostics.
    Market: Protein-protein interaction biochemistry.
    Development Status: Early-stage.
    Inventors: Robert Balaban (NHLBI), Gary Griffiths (NHLBI), Ksenia 
Blinova (NHLBI), et al.
    Publications:
    1. MM Camacho-Carvajal, et al. Two-dimensional Blue native/SDS gel 
electrophoresis of multi-protein complexes from whole cellular lysates: 
a proteomics approach. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2004 Feb; 3(2):176-182.
    2. R Van Coster, et al. Blue native polyacrylamide gel 
electrophoresis: a powerful tool in diagnosis of oxidative 
phosphorylation defects. Pediatr Res. 2001 Nov; 50(5):658-665.
    3. I Whittig and H Schagger. Advantages and limitations of clear-
native PAGE. Proteomics. 2005 Nov; 5(17):4338-4346.
    Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/835,069 filed 03 
Aug 2006 (HHS Reference No. E-218-2006/0-US-01).
    Licensing Status: Available for exclusive or non-exclusive 
licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Michael A. Shmilovich, Esq.; 301/435-5019; 
[email protected].

In Vivo Non-Invasive Diagnostic Method Using Magnetic Resonance 
Spectroscopy of Aspartate Transaminase

    Description of Technology: This invention describes a method for 
non-invasively diagnosing various diseases using magnetic resonance 
spectroscopy of aspartate transaminase (AST). The diagnostic market is 
a multi-billion dollar market, with a need for more efficient non-
invasive techniques, markers and methods of diagnosis.
    In particular, this is a novel non-invasive method for using 
carbon-13 magnetization transfer effects to determine and evaluate in 
vivo aspartate transaminase (AST) activity and levels in an organ, 
including the brain, as a biomarker of disease and certain neurological 
disorders. This comprises performing in vivo magnetization transfer 
spectroscopy, and determining the change in magnetic resonance signal 
intensity of reactants in AST catalyzed reaction.
    AST activity is known to change as a result of tissue damage and 
necrosis in a variety of diseases. AST activity is routinely assessed 
in serum of patients as a non-invasive means of identifying and 
following up on disease progression. Furthermore, brain levels of AST 
are altered in certain diseases such as Huntington's Disease, 
olivopontocerebellar atrophy and epilepsy, but the blood-brain barrier 
prevents AST from entering serum and being readily measured. Brain AST 
levels in living patients can be measured by brain biopsies, which are 
expensive and dangerous. This invention overcomes this problem by 
measuring AST activity in the brain by using magnetization transfer 
effect. This

[[Page 52551]]

can help diagnose or follow up on the progress of a variety of 
diseases, including Huntington's Disease, olivopontocerebellar atrophy, 
epilepsy, schizophrenia, as well as hepatitis, cirrhosis, cholangitis, 
Gilbert's diseases, muscular dystrophy, leukemia, kidney inflammation, 
cardiac infarction, or the presence of a tumor. Thus, tissue AST 
activity may become a novel marker of brain disorders which has been 
inaccessible using current clinical technologies.
    Applications and Market: Diagnosis and monitoring disease status in 
a variety of diseases, including Huntington's Disease, 
olivopontocerebellar atrophy, epilepsy, schizophrenia, as well as 
hepatitis, cirrhosis, cholangitis, Gilbert's diseases, muscular 
dystrophy, leukemia, kidney inflammation, cardiac infarction, or the 
presence of a tumor. The diagnostic market is a multi-billion dollar 
market, with a need for more efficient non-invasive techniques, markers 
and new methods of diagnosis.
    Patent Status: U.S. Patent Application No. 11/356,214 filed 21 Feb 
2006 (HHS Reference No. E-231-2005/0-US-02).
    Inventors: Dr. Jun Shen (NIMH).
    Publication: J Shen. In vivo carbon-13 magnetization transfer 
effect: detection of aspartate aminotransferase reaction. Magn Reson 
Med. 2005 Dec; 54(6):1321-1326.
    Licensing Status: Available for exclusive or non-exclusive 
licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Chekesha Clingman, Ph.D.; 301/435-5018; 
[email protected].

    Dated: August 29, 2006.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 06-7439 Filed 9-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P