[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59560-59561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27633]


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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.

A Novel Treatment for Malarial Infections

    Description of Invention: The inventions described herein are 
antimalarial small molecule inhibitors of the plasmodial surface anion 
channel (PSAC), an essential nutrient acquisition ion channel expressed 
on human erythrocytes infected with malaria parasites. These inhibitors 
were discovered by high-throughput screening of chemical libraries and 
analysis of their ability to kill malaria parasites in culture. Two 
separate classes of inhibitors were found to work synergistically in 
combination against PSAC and killed malaria cultures at markedly lower 
concentrations than separately. These inhibitors have high affinity and 
specificity for PSAC and have acceptable cytotoxicity profiles. 
Preliminary in vivo testing of these compounds in a mouse malaria model 
is currently ongoing.
    Applications: Treatment of malarial infections.
    Advantages: Novel drug treatment for malarial infections; 
Synergistic effect of these compounds on PSAC.
    Development Status: In vitro and in vivo data can be provided upon 
request.
    Market: Treatment of malarial infection.

[[Page 59561]]

    Inventor: Sanjay A. Desai (NIAID)

Publications

    1. M Kang, G Lisk, S Hollingworth, SM Baylor, SA Desai. Malaria 
parasites are rapidly killed by dantrolene derivatives specific for the 
plasmodial surface anion channel. Mol. Pharmacol. 2005 Jul;68(1):34-40.
    2. SA Desai, SM Bezrukov, J Zimmerberg. A voltage-dependent channel 
involved in nutrient uptake by red blood cells infected with the 
malaria parasite. Nature. 2000 Aug 31;406(6799):1001-1005.
    Patent Status: International Patent Application No. PCT/US09/50637 
(HHS Reference No. E-202-2008/0-PCT-02) filed 15 Jul 2009.
    Licensing Status: Available for licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Kevin W. Chang; 301-435-5018; 
[email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NIAID Office of Technology 
Development is seeking statements of capability or interest from 
parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, 
evaluate, or commercialize antimalarial drugs that target PSAC or other 
parasite-specific transporters. Please contact Dana Hsu at 301-496-2644 
for more information.

Optimized Expression of IL-12 Cytokine Family

    Description of Invention: The IL-12 family of cytokines (IL-12, IL-
23, and IL-27) has an important role in inflammation and autoimmune 
diseases. IL-12 is produced by macrophages and dendritic cells in 
response to certain bacterial and parasitic infections and is a 
powerful inducer of IFN-gamma production. IL-23 is proposed to 
stimulate a subset of T cells to produce IL-17, which in turn induce 
the production of proinflammatory cytokines that lead to a protective 
response during infection. IL-27 appears to have duel functions as an 
initiator of TH1-type (cellular immunity) immune responses and as an 
attenuator of immune/inflammatory responses.
    The present inventions provide methods for improved expression of 
multimeric proteins by engineering different ratios of the subunit 
expression units in a cell or upon expression from a multi-promoter 
plasmid having different strength promoters. The inventors have 
improved the levels and efficiency of expression of the IL-12 family of 
cytokines, which includes IL-12, IL-23, and IL-27, by adjusting the 
transcription and translation of the alpha and beta subunits that 
comprise the heterodimeric proteins. Optimal ratios of expression for 
the two (2) subunits were determined for IL-12, IL-23, and IL-27.
    Applications: Tumor treatment; Anti-viral therapy; Anti-
inflammatory therapy.
    Advantages: Increased expression and stability of in vitro 
expressed IL-12, IL-23 and IL-27 cytokines.
    Development Status: In vitro data and data in animal models can be 
provided upon request.
    Market: Infectious Diseases; Cancer; Inflammatory Diseases.
    Inventors: George N. Pavlakis and Barbara K. Felber (NCI).
    Patent Status: International PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US09/
043481 filed 11 May 2009 (HHS Reference No. E-192-2008/1-PCT-02).
    Licensing Status: Available for licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Kevin W. Chang, Ph.D.; 301-435-5018; 
[email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The Center for Cancer Research, 
Human Retrovirus Section, is seeking statements of capability or 
interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further 
develop, evaluate, or commercialize delivery of cytokines of the IL-12 
family in cancer and other indications. Please contact John D. Hewes, 
Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or [email protected] for more information.

    Dated: November 9, 2009.
Richard U. Rodriguez,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. E9-27633 Filed 11-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P