[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36335-36336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12959]


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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.

[[Page 36336]]

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: Yogikala Prabhu, Ph.D., 301-761-7789; 
[email protected]. Licensing information may be obtained by 
communicating with 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unpublished information related to the invention.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Technology description follows:

Methods for Using Modulators of Extracellular Adenosine or an Adenosine 
Receptor To Enhance Immune Response and Inflammation

Description of Technology

    Local inflammation processes are crucially important in the host 
defense against pathogens and for successful immunization because 
proinflammatory cytokines are necessary for initiation and propagation 
of an immune response. However, normal inflammatory responses are 
eventually terminated by physiological termination mechanisms, thereby 
limiting the strength and duration of immune responses, especially to 
weak antigens. The inventors have shown that adenosine A2a and A3a 
receptors play a critical role in down-regulation of inflammation in 
vivo. They act as the physiological termination mechanism that can 
limit the immune response. Thus, a method was developed for inhibiting 
signaling through the adenosine receptor to prolong and intensify the 
immune response. The method involves administering either an adenosine-
degrading drug or an adenosine receptor agonist. These compounds can be 
also used as vaccine adjuvants and treatments for accomplishing 
targeted tissue damage such as for tumor destruction.
    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

 Anti-tumor therapy
 Vaccine adjuvants for tumors
 Immunotherapy

Competitive Advantages

     Use of adenosine receptor agonist or adenosine-degrading 
drug to inhibit signaling through the adenosine receptor to prolong and 
intensify the immune response.
     Use of adenosine receptor agonists or adenosine-degrading 
drugs as vaccine adjuvants for tumor destruction.

Development Stage

 Pre-clinical

    Inventors: Michail V. Sitkovsky, M.D. (previously at NIAID), Akio 
Ohta (previously at NIAID).
    Publications: Ohta A. et al., ``Role of G-protein-coupled adenosine 
receptors in downregulation of inflammation and protection from tissue 
damage,'' Nature 2001 Dec 20-27; 414 (6866):916-20.
    Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-051-2002-0.
     U.S. Divisional Application No. 16/391,423- filed April 
23, 2019, entitled ``Methods for Using Modulators of Extracellular 
Adenosine or an Adenosine Receptor to Enhance Immune Response and 
Inflammation'' [HHS Reference No. E-051-2002/0-US-19].
    All issued and active U.S. patents (claiming priority to U.S. 
Provisional Application Nos 60/340,772 filed December 12, 2011, and 60/
342,585 filed December 19, 2001) related to the above-referenced 
technology:

 U.S. Patent 8,080,554, issued December 20, 2011 (application 
10/498,416 filed on 06/10/2004)
 U.S. Patent 8,716,301, issued May 06, 2014 (application 13/
310,264 filed on 12/02/2001)
 U.S. Patent 9,415,105, issued August 16, 2016 (application 14/
067,005 filed on 10/30/2013)
 U.S. Patent 10,314,908, issued June 11, 2019 (application 15/
237,316 filed on 08/15/2016)

    Licensing Contact: To license this technology, please contact 
Yogikala Prabhu, Ph.D., 301-761-7789; [email protected], and 
reference E-051-2002-0.
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The National Institute of 
Allergy and Infectious Diseases is seeking statements of capability or 
interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further 
develop, evaluate or commercialize this technology. For collaboration 
opportunities, please contact Yogikala Prabhu, Ph.D., 301-761-7789; 
[email protected].

    Dated: June 10, 2022.
Surekha Vathyam,
Deputy Director, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Office, 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
[FR Doc. 2022-12959 Filed 6-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P