[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 19073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08351]


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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, 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 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Kornak, 240-627-3705, 
[email protected]. Licensing information and copies of the U.S. 
patent applications listed below may be obtained by communicating with 
the indicated licensing contact at the Technology Transfer and 
Intellectual Property Office, National Institute of Allergy and 
Infectious Diseases, 5601 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852; tel. 301-
496-2644. A signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement will be required 
to receive copies of unpublished patent applications.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Technology description follows.

A Second CD4-Binding Region of HIV-1 gp120 Critical for Viral 
Infectivity: New Methods for Treatment and Vaccine Development

    Description of Technology: It is believed that immunization with an 
effective immunogen based on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein can elicit 
a neutralizing antibody response, which may be protective against HIV-1 
infection. NIAID researchers have discovered a new critical component 
of the CD4-binding site in gp120, named CD4-BS2, which is exclusively 
formed in the trimeric envelope conformation. It was further found that 
this newly recognized region is critical for the progression of the 
fusogenic mechanism that leads to HIV-1 entry and infection of the 
cells. This discovery may lead to new methods of treatment, for 
treating HIV-1, as well as to the production of new vaccine immunogens.
    This technology is available for licensing for commercial 
development in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR part 404, as 
well as for further development and evaluation under a research 
collaboration.
    Potential Commercial Applications: New target for HIV therapeutic 
and vaccine development.
    Competitive Advantages: A new molecular target discovered in this 
invention may facilitate the development of next-generation HIV 
therapeutics and vaccines.
    Development Stage: Proof-of-concept studies demonstrate that CD4 
binding to CD4-BD2 is critical for triggering gp120 conformational 
changes that enable coreceptor binding and HIV-1 infectivity. Animal 
studies are ongoing.
    Inventors: Paolo Lusso, NIAID, NIH; and Qingbo Liu, NIAID, NIH.
    Publications: Liu, Qingbo, et al. ``Quaternary contact in the 
initial interaction of CD4 with the HIV-1 envelope trimer.'' Nature 
Structural & Molecular Biology (2017).
    Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-230-2015/0--U.S. Patent 
Application No. 62/292,750 filed 02/08/2016; PCT Application No. PCT/
US2017/017038 filed 02/08/2017.
    Licensing Contact: Chris Kornak, 240-627-3705, 
[email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The Technology Transfer and 
Intellectual Property Office (TTIPO) is seeking parties interested in 
collaborative research to further co-develop HIV-1 vaccines and/or 
inhibitors that target the newly recognized region. For collaboration 
opportunities, please contact Chris Kornak, 240-627-3705, 
[email protected].

    Dated: April 10, 2017.
Suzanne Frisbie,
Deputy Director, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Office, 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
[FR Doc. 2017-08351 Filed 4-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4140-01-P