[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14593-14594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5676]


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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.

Microdialysis Probe for Accessing Tissue in-vivo

    Description of Technology: Available for licensing and commercial 
development is a microdialysis probe. This device permits in-vivo 
measurement of bioavailable substances (e.g., cytokines, growth 
factors, neuropeptides, inflammatory mediators, etc.) at picogram 
levels of concentration directly from soft tissue and organ systems. 
The probe may also serve as an in-situ drug delivery vehicle of micro 
doses of medication to specific anatomical sites by slow diffusion. It 
also permits measurement of efficacy of drug delivery, whether given 
orally, systemically or topically, at the local

[[Page 14594]]

tissue level. It can be utilized in a variety of patient populations 
and conditions. For example, the probe can be used to monitor the local 
biochemical milieu in soft tissue and organ systems to provide insights 
into the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, rheumatic, 
gastrointestinal, renal, cardiovascular and endocrinologic diseases, 
cancers, dermatological conditions, and pediatric disorders, especially 
in premature newborns.
    The probe is made from a small-bore (32 gauge) needle, whose probe 
surface has been fashioned to permit near trauma-less entry, containing 
both a fluid delivery and recovery tube within the bore. A molecular 
exchange membrane is positioned about 200 microns from the tip. Fluid 
flows across the membrane removing diffused molecules to a collection 
device. The rounded tip of the needle is designed to cause minimal 
tissue damage while allowing investigations to be performed on local 
tissue fluids. Additionally, this device allows simultaneous delivery 
of small concentrations of drug. In summary, this unique apparatus 
provides a minimally invasive means for sampling biological fluids in 
any human or animal organ or tissue and for in-situ drug-delivery, in 
continuous or incremental dosing, of extremely small doses.
    Applications: Measurement of bioavailable substances in organs and 
soft tissues; Localized drug delivery vehicle; Measurement of tissue 
drug levels.
    Market: Drug discovery; Tissue/fluid sampling; Pain management.
    Inventors: Jay Shah (NIHCC), Terence Martyn Phillips (ORS), Jerome 
V. Danoff (NIHCC), Lynn Gerber (NIHCC).
    Publication: JP Shah, TM Phillips, JV Danoff, LH Gerber. An in vivo 
microanalytical technique for measuring the local biochemical milieu of 
human skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol. 2005 Nov; 99(5):1977-1984. Epub 
2005 Jul 21.
    Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/795,176 filed 27 
Apr 2006 (HHS Reference No. E-024-2006/0-US-01).
    Licensing Contact: Michael A. Shmilovich, Esq.; 301/435-5019; 
[email protected].

Fluorescent Intracellular Calcium Indicators

    Description of Technology: Calcium is a key element in the 
regulation of many cellular processes, including muscle contraction, 
hormone excretion from gland cells, neurotransmitter release from nerve 
synapses, and the regulation of cellular metabolism. Elevated calcium 
levels are found in a number of diseases.
    The present invention relates to chromophoric or fluorescent dye 
calcium indicators that are superior for measurement of high 
concentrations of calcium ions due to their high dissociation 
constants. As a result of the high calcium ion dissociation constants, 
the perturbation resulting from introducing the indicator into the cell 
is greatly reduced. These calcium ion indicators can be measured by 
various techniques including 19F NMR spectroscopy, flow cytometry, and 
quantitative fluorescence techniques, and are useful for measuring 
calcium levels within the cytosol or within cellular organelles.
    Application: Research tool for quantifying intracellular calcium 
concentrations.
    Inventors: Robert E. London, Louis A. Levy, and Elizabeth Murphy 
(NIEHS).
    Patent Status: U.S. Patent Application No. 08/175,590 filed 30 Dec 
1993, which issued as U.S. Patent No. 5,516,911 on 14 May 1996 (HHS 
Reference No. E-015-1993/0-US-01).
    Licensing Status: Available for nonexclusive licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Tara Kirby, PhD; 301/435-4426; 
[email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NIEHS Laboratory of 
Structural Biology is seeking statements of capability or interest from 
parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, 
evaluate, or commercialize this technology. Please contact Dr. Robert 
London at 919/541-4879 or [email protected] for more information.

    Dated: March 19, 2007.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
 [FR Doc. E7-5676 Filed 3-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P