[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 173 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52805-52806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14832]


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

Methods for Enhancing Beta Cell Function in Diabetes

    Description of Technology: Diabetes results when beta cell 
performance is compromised through loss of cells or by reduced cell 
function. Anti-diabetic drugs that stimulate insulin production, such 
as sulfonylureas and meglitinides, have limited efficacy when beta cell 
responsiveness is deficient. There exists a critical need, therefore, 
for new diagnostics and therapeutics that focus on beta cell 
responsiveness in diabetes.
    This technology describes methods for improving pancreatic 
endocrine function and delaying the onset of diabetes by enhancing beta 
cell function using ligands and/or regulators of Notch receptors. These 
methods are directed not only to mature beta cells, but to immature 
beta cells and to beta cells formed from differentiation of stem cells. 
This technology also describes isolated pancreatic progenitor cells, 
and offers an effective method for identifying and isolating these 
cells using Notch receptor markers.
    Applications: (1) Treatment for diabetes that enhances beta cell 
function or replaces lost beta cells; (2) Isolation and expansion of 
pancreatic progenitor cells for diabetes therapy; (3) Diagnostic test 
to monitor beta cell function
    Market: (1) Over 20 million people suffer from diabetes in the 
United States, and approximately 170 million people are affected 
worldwide. (2) There are an estimated 6.2 million undiagnosed cases of 
diabetes in the United States.
    Development Status: Pre-clinical data are available.
    Inventors: Josephine M. Egan, et al. (NIA).
    Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/590,281 filed 22 
Jul 2004 (HHS Reference No. E-262-2003/0-US-01); PCT Application No. 
PCT/US2005/026207 filed 22 Jul 2005, which published as WO 2006/023209 
on 02 Mar 2006 (HHS Reference No. E-262-2003/0-PCT-02).
    Licensing Status: Available for exclusive or non-exclusive 
licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Tara L. Kirby, Ph.D.; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].

A Nurr1-Knockout Mouse Model for Parkinson's Disease and Stem Cell 
Differentiation

    Description of Technology: The researchers have generated Nurr1-
knockout mice via genomic locus inactivation using homologous 
recombination.
    Transcription factor Nurr1 is an obligatory factor for 
neurotransmitter dopamine biosynthesis in ventral midbrain. From a 
neurological and clinical perspective, it suggests an entirely new 
mechanism for dopamine depletion in a region where dopamine is known to 
be involved in Parkinson's disease. Activation of Nurr1 may be 
therapeutically useful for Parkinson's disease patients; therefore, the 
mice would be useful in Parkinson's disease research.
    Additionally, Nurr1 has been shown to be critical for development 
of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, and thus may contribute to stem cell-
based therapies for neurological disorders. Nurr1 is also important for 
osteoblast differentiation, suggesting a general role in stem cell 
differentiation and growth.
    Applications: (1) Research and drug testing for Parkinson's disease 
and other neurological disorders; (2) Stem cell research relating to 
neurological and other disorders and bone formation.
    Inventor: Dr. Vera Nikodem (NIDDK).
    Relevant Publication: SO Castillo, JS Baffi, M Palkovits, DS 
Goldstein, IJ Kopin, J Witta, MA Magnuson, VM Nikodem. Dopamine 
biosynthesis is selectively abolished in substantia nigra/ventral 
tegmental area but not in hypothalamic neurons in mice with targeted 
disruption of the Nurr1 gene. Mol Cell Neurosci. 1998 May, 11(1-2):36-
46.
    Related Publications:
    1. MK Lee, H Choi, M Gil, VM Nikodem. Regulation of osteoblast 
differentiation by Nurr1 in MC3T3-E1 cell line and mouse calvarial 
osteoblasts. J Cell Biochem. 2006 June 1 [Epub ahead of print, 
doi:10.1002/jcb.20990].
    2. J Jankovic, S Chen, WD Le. The role of Nurr1 in the development 
of dopaminergic neurons and Parkinson's disease. Prog Neurobiol. 2005 
Sep-Oct, 77(1-2):128-138. Epub 2005 Oct 21, doi:10.1016/
j.pneurobio.2005.09.001.

[[Page 52806]]

    Patent Status: HHS Reference No. E-024-1999/0--Research Tool.
    Licensing Status: This technology is available under a Biological 
Materials License.
    Licensing Contact: Tara L. Kirby, Ph.D.; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].

    Dated: August 31, 2006.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer,Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
 [FR Doc. E6-14832 Filed 9-6-06; 8:45 am]
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