[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 76836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24551]


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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. at 240-627-3721 
or [email protected]. Licensing information 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will be required to receive copies of unpublished information related 
to the invention.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Technology description follows:

Base-Covered HIV-1 Envelope Ectodomains and Their Use

    Description of Technology: Researchers at the Vaccine Research 
Center (``VRC'') of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious 
Diseases (``NAID'') continue to pursue a safe and effective HIV-1 
vaccine to combat the HIV-1/AIDS pandemic.
    To this end, researchers have engineered the soluble HIV-1 
ectodomain trimer so that it is stabilized in its prefusion 
conformation by artificial disulfides, helix-disrupting prolines, and 
other structure-based alterations. However, mice and non-human primates 
immunized with these engineered soluble HIV-1 trimers produced a 
significant (>90% in some cases) immune response to the exposed trimer 
base.
    VRC researchers further modified the engineered prefusion soluble 
HIV-1 trimers by adding N-linked glycans to specific sites on the 
protein's base to block this immunodominant surface. They found that 
these N-linked glycans did reduce production of non-neutralizing 
antibodies directed to the trimer base. These soluble, glycan-masked 
prefusion HIV-1 trimers are envisioned as being a part of a 
heterologous prime-boost vaccine regimen.
    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 further development and evaluation under a research 
collaboration.
    Potential Commercial Applications:

 Vaccine for prevention of HIV-1 infection
 Therapeutic vaccine for treatment of HIV-1 infection

    Competitive Advantages:

 Currently, no licensed HIV vaccine exists

    Development Stage:

 Animal studies

    Inventors: Peter Kwong, John Mascola, Tongqing Zhou, Adam Olia, 
Reda Rawi, Yongping Yang, Cheng Cheng (all of NIAID).
    Publications: Olia, et al. (2023) Soluble prefusion-closed HIV-
envelope trimers with glycan-covered bases. iScience 26, 107403, August 
18, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sci.2023.107403.
    Intellectual Property: HHS Reference Number E-079-2022 includes PCT 
Patent Application No. PCT/US2023/065009 filed on March 27, 2023.
    Licensing Contact: To license this technology, please contact Amy 
F. Petrik, Ph.D., 240-627-3721; [email protected], and reference E-
079-2022.

Surekha Vathyam,
Deputy Director, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Office, 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
[FR Doc. 2023-24551 Filed 11-6-23; 8:45 am]
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