[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 55496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8080]


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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.

An HIV Protein for Use as a Novel Therapeutic or Vaccine Component

    Description of Technology: Latent HIV presents a challenge for 
complete removal of the virus in infected individuals and is becoming 
an increasingly important consideration in the identification of 
potential HIV therapeutics or treatment regimens. These 
transcriptionally inactive HIV reservoirs lay dormant in a portion of 
infected cells and are capable of evading both host defenses and 
existing antiretroviral therapy. The present technology offers a 
potential solution for complete eradication of HIV in infected 
individuals.
    This technology describes immunogenic and therapeutic compositions 
related to HIV p28TEV protein, first protein expressed 
during HIV infection in the case of the pHXB2 isolate. 
p28TEV functions in the regulation of HIV transcription and 
may be important for the expression of latent virus. A number of 
p28TEV associated compositions are available for licensing 
and commercial development including: (1) The p28TEV 
polypeptide from one or more HIV clades, (2) nucleic acids encoding 
these p28TEV polypeptides, (3) a polypeptide with 
significant sequence homology to p28TEV, and (4) immunogenic 
fragments of these polypeptides. Additional compositions include 
antibodies and antagonists that act to inhibit p28TEV 
activity. Adjuvants, immunomodulators and compounds used in combination 
with p28TEV for the treatment of HIV infection are also 
included in the available technology.
    Applications: (1) Novel therapeutics for treatment of HIV 
infection; (2) Novel HIV vaccine component.
    Development Status: Preclinical data are available at this time.
    Inventors: Genoveffa Franchini et al. (NCI)
    Patent Status: U.S. Patent Application No. 11/364,873 filed 27 Feb 
2006 (HHS Reference No. E-072-2004/3-US-01)
    Licensing Status: Available for exclusive or non-exclusive 
licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Susan Ano, PhD; 301/435-5515; [email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunities: The National Cancer Institute 
Vaccine Branch is seeking statements of capability or interest from 
parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, 
evaluate, or commercialize Methods of Targeting the Establishment of 
the HIV Viral Reservoir. Please contact Betty Tong, PhD at 301-594-4263 
or [email protected] for more information.

Swine Hepatitis E Virus Available for Use in Diagnosis, Prevention and 
Treatment of Hepatitis E

    Description of Technology: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the cause of 
Hepatitis E, a liver disease that occurs primarily in developing 
countries due to fecal contaminated drinking water. Outbreaks of HEV 
infection have caused epidemics in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia 
and Mexico and cases of the disease have also been reported 
sporadically in more developed countries. Hepatitis E is most often 
overcome by a host's natural defenses; however the disease is more 
severe in pregnant women, who exhibit a 20% mortality rate due to HEV 
infection. Presently, no vaccines or therapeutic agents, which prevent 
or treat HEV infection, are commercially provided.
    An isolated strain of swine HEV is currently available for 
licensing and commercial development. The nucleotide and amino acid 
sequences of the available virus are significantly homologous to human 
HEV and antibodies induced by the agent were shown to cross react with 
a human HEV antigen. The present technology provides a mechanism for 
augmenting the immune response against HEV in infected individuals and 
is thus useful for the development of novel vaccines and therapeutics 
for prevention and treatment of HEV infection in humans. In addition, 
the available viral strain may be used to develop diagnostic tools for 
efficient detection of HEV contamination of food and water in 
developing countries, especially in regions of Africa, Asia and Mexico, 
where HEV is endemic.
    Applications: (1) Development of diagnostic tools for 
identification and detection of HEV infection; (2) HEV vaccination in 
developing countries, where individuals are at higher risk for 
infection; (3) Research and development of anti-HEV therapeutics 
agents.
    Development Status: Preclinical data are available at this time.
    Inventors: Xiang-jin Meng, Robert H. Purcell, Suzanne U. Emerson 
(NIAID)
    Patent Status: U.S. Patent No. 6,432,408 issued 13 Aug 2002 (HHS 
Reference No. E-203-1997/0-US-04) and European Patent Application No. 
98934568 filed 17 Jul 1998 (HHS Reference No. E-203-1997/0-EP-03)
    Licensing Status: Available for non-exclusive or exclusive 
licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Chekesha Clingman, PhD; 301/435-5018; 
[email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NIAID Laboratory of 
Infectious Diseases, Hepatitis Viruses Section, is seeking statements 
of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative 
research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize swine HEV or 
its products. Please contact Robert H. Purcell at 
[email protected] for more information.

    Dated: September 18, 2006.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer,National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 06-8080 Filed 9-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P