Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing, 60761 [2010-24679]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• National Institutes of Health

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 60761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24679]



[[Page 60761]]

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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.

Inhibitors of 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin Pyrophosphokinase as 
Novel Antibiotics

    Description of Invention: The invention offered for licensing 
describes and claims novel inhibitors of 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-
dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase (HPPK), a key enzyme in the folate 
biosynthetic pathway which is essential for microorganisms but absent 
in mammals. These novel inhibitors are based on linked purine pterin 
compounds. They can disrupt the folate biosynthesis of bacteria and 
thus can find utility as potential antimicrobials. Antibiotics based on 
these lead molecules can be specifically designed and synthesized to 
serve as broad-spectrum or narrow-spectrum antibiotics. None of the 
currently established antibiotics target HPPK.
    Applications:
     Antimicrobial agents.
     Use in anti-bioterrorism.
    Advantages:
     Potential as broad-spectrum or narrow-spectrum 
antibiotics.
     The antibiotics of present invention target a new 
biological pathway that has not been targeted by existing antibiotics, 
and thus circumvent issues related to drug resistance.
    Inventors: Genbin Shi, Gary Shaw, Xinhua Ji (NCI).
    Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/356,213 filed 18 
Jun 2010 (HHS Reference No. E-170-2010/0-US-01).
    Relevant Publications:
    1. Blaszczyk J, Shi G, Li Y, Yan H, Ji X. Reaction trajectory of 
pyrophosphoryl transfer catalyzed by 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin 
pyrophosphokinase. Structure 2004 Mar;12(3):467-475. [PubMed: 
15016362].
    2. Blaszczyk J, Shi G, Yan H, Ji X. Catalytic center assembly of 
HPPK as revealed by the crystal structure of a ternary complex at 1.25A 
 resolution. Structure 2000 Oct 15; 8(10):1049-1058. [PubMed: 
11080626].
    3. Wood HCS. 1975. Specific inhibition of dihydrofolate 
biosynthesis--a new approach to chemotherapy. Chemistry and Biology of 
Pteridines, W. Pfleiderer, ed. (Berlin-New York: Walter de Gruyter).
    Licensing Status: Available for licensing.
    Licensing Contacts:
     Uri Reichman, Ph.D., MBA; 301-435-4616; UR7a@nih.gov.
     John Stansberry, Ph.D.; 301-435-5236; js852e@nih.gov.
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The National Cancer Institute, 
Biomolecular Structure Section, is seeking statements of capability or 
interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further 
develop, evaluate, or commercialize the inhibitors of HPPK as novel 
antibiotics. Please contact John Hewes, PhD at 301-435-3121 or 
hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.

Compositions and Methods for the Treatment of Cancer

    Description of Invention: Cancer is the second leading cause of 
human death next to coronary disease in the United States. Worldwide, 
millions of people die from cancer every year. In the United States 
alone, as reported by the American Cancer Society, cancer causes the 
death of well over a half-million people annually, with over 1.2 
million new cases diagnosed per year. While deaths from heart disease 
have been declining significantly, those resulting from cancer 
generally are on the rise. Cancer is soon predicted to become the 
leading cause of death in the United States.
    This application claims methods for inducing an immune response to 
a tumor. These methods include administering a therapeutically 
effective amount of apoptotic tumor cells conjugated to a K-type CpG 
oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) to a subject. Methods for treating a tumor 
in a subject are also claimed in this application. These methods 
include administering a therapeutically effective amount of apoptotic 
tumor cells conjugated to a K-type CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) to a 
subject. More specifically, the tumor cells may be autologous, and the 
tumor may be a lymphoma, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, breast 
cancer, colon cancer, or a lung cancer.
    Applications:
     Vaccines for the prevention of cancer and other 
indications
     Use of CpG oligonucleotides for prophylaxis and/or therapy
    Advantages:
     Novel vaccine candidates
     Increased immunogenicity
    Development Status: Preclinical studies have been conducted by the 
inventors.
    Inventors: Dennis M. Klinman and Hidekazu Shirota (NCI).
    Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/309,802 filed 02 
Mar 2010 (HHS Reference No. E-266-2009/0-US-01).
    Licensing Status: Available for licensing.
    Licensing Contact: Peter A. Soukas; 301-435-4646; 
soukasp@mail.nih.gov.
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The Center for Cancer Research, 
Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, is seeking statements of 
capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative 
research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize this 
technology. Please contact John Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or 
hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.

    Dated: September 27, 2010.
Richard U. Rodriguez,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2010-24679 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P