[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4275-4276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1379]


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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.

Diagnostics and Therapeutics for Hydrocephalus

    Description of Technology: Congenital hydrocephalus is a 
significant public health problem, affecting approximately one in 500 
live births in the United States. Congenital hydrocephalus has an 
adverse effect on the developing brain and may persist as neurological 
defects in children and adults. Some of these defects may manifest as 
mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and visual disabilities. 
Improved diagnostics are needed for assessing the risks of developing 
this debilitating disease.
    The inventors have shown that RFX4--v3, a splice variant of the 
Regulatory Factor X4 (RFX4) transcription factor, is associated with 
the development of neurological structures. The reduction or absence of 
RFX4-v3 promotes the development of congenital hydrocephalus. This 
invention describes RFX4--v3 polypeptides and nucleic acids, as well as 
methods for detection of RFX4--v3 polymorphisms associated with 
congenital hydrocephalus. Also described are treatment methods 
including the RFX4-v3 polypeptide and RFX4-v3 transgenic animals and 
antibodies.
    Applications: Prenatal diagnostic assay for identifying children at 
risk for congenital hydrocephalus; Genotyping assay for congenital 
hydrocephalus.
    Market: In the United States, the health care costs for congenital 
hydrocephalus are estimated at $100 million per year.
    Development Status: In vitro data are available.
    Inventors: Perry J. Blackshear, Darryl C. Zeldin, Joan P. Graves, 
and Deborah J. Stumpo (NIEHS).
    Publications:
    1. Perry J. Blackshear et al. Graded phenotypic response to partial 
and complete deficiency of a brain-specific transcript variant of the 
winged helix transcription factor RFX4. Development. 2003 
Oct;130(19):4539-4552.
    2. Donghui Zhang et al. Identification of potential target genes 
for RFX4--v3, a transcription factor critical for brain development. J 
Neurochem. 2006 Aug;98(3):860-875.
    3. Donghui Zhang et al. Regulatory factor X4 variant 3 (RFX4--v3): 
a transcription factor involved in brain development and disease. 
Submitted for publication, Journal of Neuroscience Research.
    Patent Status: PCT Application No. PCT/US03/12348 filed 18 Apr 
2003, which published as WO 03/088919 on 30 Oct 2003 (HHS Reference No. 
E-163-2002/2-PCT-01); U.S. Patent Application No. 10/511,362 filed 15 
Oct 2004, which published as U.S. 2005/0181369 on 18 Aug 2005 (HHS 
Reference No. E-163-2002/2-US-02).
    Licensing Status: Available for exclusive or nonexclusive 
licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Tara Kirby, Ph.D.; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].

[[Page 4276]]

Epithelial Cell Line Expressing a Cystic Fibrosis Phenotype

    Description of Technology: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common genetic 
disease that affects the entire body, producing thick, sticky mucus 
that clogs the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. It is the most common 
fatal genetic disease in the United States, and is caused by a mutation 
in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR).
    Researchers at NIEHS have developed a cell line, CF/T43, which was 
produced by infection of airway epithelial cells isolated from CF 
patients with an SV40T retrovirus. CF/T43 cells maintain the abnormal 
ion transport characteristics of CF while having proliferation 
capability beyond that of a primary epithelial cell culture. Key 
features of the CF/T43 cell line include the formation of functional 
tight junctions, reduced apical membrane chloride conductance, and 
activation of apical chloride channels by calcium ionophores but not by 
cAMP-dependent agonists. This cell line may be used for elucidation of 
the mechanisms of CF, testing candidate complementary genes for 
correction of the observed CF abnormalities, and for developing and 
testing therapeutic CF drugs.
    Applications: Research tool for developing new therapies to treat 
cystic fibrosis; Research tool for studying the mechanisms of cystic 
fibrosis.
    Inventors: Anton M. Jetten (NIEHS).
    Publication: AM Jetten, JR Yankaskas, MJ Stutts, NJ Willumsen, and 
RC Boucher. Persistence of abnormal chloride conductance regulation in 
SV40 T transformed cystic fibrosis airway epithelia. Science 1989 Jun 
23;244(4911):1472-1475.
    Patent Status: U.S. Patent Application No. 07/368,725 filed 21 June 
1989, which issued as U.S. Patent No. 5,420,033 on 30 May 1995 (HHS 
Reference No. E-201-1989/0-US-01).
    Licensing Status: Available for exclusive or nonexclusive 
licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Tara Kirby, Ph.D.; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].

    Dated: January 20, 2007.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. E7-1379 Filed 1-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P