[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 154 (Thursday, August 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 39454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17036]


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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 invention listed below is owned by an agency of the U.S. 
Government and is 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: Amy F. Petrik, Ph.D., 240-627-3721, 
[email protected]. Licensing information and copies of the U.S. patent 
application 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unpublished patent applications.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.

Stabilized Group 2 Influenza Hemagglutinin Stem Region Trimers and Uses 
Thereof

    Description of Technology: Researchers at the Vaccine Research 
Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 
(NIAID) have designed influenza vaccine candidates based on group 2 
influenza hemagglutinin (HA) proteins. These group 2 HA proteins were 
engineered to remove the highly variable head region and stabilize the 
remaining stem region. The researchers then fused the engineered group 
2 HA stabilized stem with a ferritin subunit. The resulting fusion 
protein can self-assemble into nanoparticles which display group 2 HA 
stem domain trimers on their surface.
    These immunogens elicit cross-reactive antibodies to group 2 
influenza viruses and could be used in combination with group 1 HA 
stem-ferritin immunogens as a universal influenza vaccine. 
Interestingly, a recent study by Andrews et al., Sci. Immunol. 2, 
eaan2676 (2017), suggests that cross-reactive group 1/group 2 HA stem 
antibodies may be more likely to be elicited in humans by a group 2 HA 
immunogen.
    This technology is available for licensing for commercial 
development in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR part 404.
    Potential Commercial Applications:

 Use as a broadly protective influenza vaccine

    Competitive Advantages:

 Elicits antibodies to both group 1 and group 2 influenza A 
viruses
 Nucleic acid or recombinant protein-based vaccine
 Increased ease of production compared to current seasonal 
influenza vaccines

    Development Stage:

 In vivo (animal studies)

    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Boyington, Barney S. Graham, John R. Mascola, 
Hadi M. Yassine, Syed M. Moin, Lingshu Wang, Kizzmekia S. Corbett, 
Masaru Kanekiyo (all from NIAID).
    Intellectual Property: HHS Reference Number E-228-2016 includes 
U.S. Provisional 62/383,267 filed 2 September 2016 and PCT Patent 
Application No. PCT/US2017/049894 filed 1 September 2017 (pending).
    Related Intellectual Property: HHS Reference Number E-293-2011.
    Licensing Contact: Dr. Amy Petrik, 240-627-3721; 
[email protected].

    Dated: July 25, 2018.
Suzanne M. Frisbie,
Deputy Director, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Office, 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
[FR Doc. 2018-17036 Filed 8-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4140-01-P