[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8547-8549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02516]
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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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Mutations in the G Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) Gene Family in
Melanoma
Description of Technology: Using exon capture and next generation
sequencing approaches to analyze the entire G protein coupled receptor
(GPCR) gene family in melanoma, the researchers at the NIH have
identified several novel somatic (e.g., tumor-specific) alterations.
GPCRs play an integral part in regulating physiological functions and
the importance of these molecules is evident by the fact that
approximately half of the current FDA approved therapeutics target
GPCRs or their direct downstream signaling components.
Many of the GPCR gene mutations identified by the NIH researchers
were mutated in a large portion of melanoma patients and already have
inhibitors, the most notable being the Glutamate Receptor Metabotropic
3 (GRM3) mutation which could be functionally signification for
melanoma tumorigenesis. Therefore, this technology could aid in the
development of specific inhibitors of GRM3 as well as the pathway it
activates, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK), for the treatment of
melanoma patients with these mutations. To complement these findings,
human melanoma metastatic cell lines harboring GRM3 mutations are also
available for licensing.
Potential Commercial Applications:
Diagnostic array for the detection of GRM3 mutations.
Method of identifying GRM3 inhibitors as therapeutic
agents to treat malignant melanoma patients.
In vitro and in vivo cell model for the GRM3 mutation in
melanoma. This is a useful tool for investigating GRM3 phenotype
biology, including growth, motility, invasion, and metabolite
production.
Competitive Advantages:
GPCR mutations, GRM3 in particular, are frequent in
melanomas.
Several inhibitors to GPCR and MEK are already in clinical
trials, thus this technology may prove useful for the development of
novel diagnostic tests and therapeutics.
Associated cell lines derived from melanoma patients are
available.
Development Stage: Pre-clinical.
Inventors: Yardena Samuels (NHGRI), Todd Prickett (NHGRI), and
Steven Rosenberg (NCI).
Publication: Prickett TD, et al. Exon capture analysis of G-protein
coupled receptors reveals activating mutations in GRM3 in melanoma. Nat
Genet. 2011 Sep 25;43(11):1119-26. [PMID 21946352].
[[Page 8548]]
Intellectual Property:
HHS Reference No. E-244-2010/0--U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/462,471 filed 23 Sep 2010; PCT Application No. PCT/
US2011/052032 filed 16 Sep 2011.
HHS Reference No. E-029-2012/0--Research Tool. Patent
protection is not being pursued for the GRM3 melanoma metastatic cell
lines.
Related Technologies: HHS Reference Nos.--E-013-2011/0 (patent app:
PCT); E-024-2012/0 (research tool); E-272-2008/0 (patent app: US, EP);
E-229-2010/0 (research tool); E-232-2010/0 (research tool).
Licensing Contact: Whitney Hastings; 301-451-7337;
[email protected].
Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NHGRI 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 Claire Driscoll,
Director, NHGRI Technology Transfer Office, at [email protected] or
301-594-2235.
Human Melanoma Metastasis Cell Lines Harboring GRM3 Mutations
Description of Technology: Using exon capture and next generation
sequencing approaches to analyze the entire G protein coupled receptor
(GPCR) gene family in melanoma, the researchers at the NIH have
identified several novel somatic (e.g., tumor-specific) alterations.
GPCRs play an integral part in regulating physiological functions and
the importance of these molecules is evident by the fact that
approximately half of the current FDA approved therapeutics target
GPCRs or their direct downstream signaling components. Many of the GPCR
gene mutations identified by the NIH researchers were mutated in a
large portion of melanoma patients and already have inhibitors, the
most notable being the Glutamate Receptor Metabotropic 3 (GRM3)
mutation which could be functionally signification for melanoma
tumorigenesis.
Available for licensing are several melanoma cell lines that harbor
GRM3 mutations. These cell lines provide useful and efficient tools for
studying melanoma and can be used in the development of specific
inhibitors of GRM3 as well as the pathway it activates, mitogen-
activated protein kinase (MEK), for the treatment of melanoma patients
with these mutations.
Potential Commercial Applications:
Diagnostic array for the detection of GRM3 mutations
Method of identifying GRM3 inhibitors as therapeutic
agents to treat malignant melanoma patients.
In vitro and in vivo cell model for the GRM3 mutation in
melanoma. This is a useful tool for investigating GRM3 phenotype
biology, including growth, motility, invasion, and metabolite
production.
Tool for testing the activity of GRM3 inhibitors and
generating GRM3 mutation knock-outs.
Competitive Advantages:
Cell lines are derived from melanoma patients.
GRM3 mutations are highly frequent and/or highly mutated
in melanomas.
Several inhibitors to GPCR and MEK are already in clinical
trials, thus this technology may prove useful for the development of
novel diagnostic tests and therapeutics.
Development Stage: Pre-clinical
Inventors: Yardena Samuels (NHGRI), Todd Prickett (NHGRI), and
Steven Rosenberg (NCI)
Publication: Prickett TD, et al. Exon capture analysis of G-protein
coupled receptors reveals activating mutations in GRM3 in melanoma. Nat
Genet. 2011 Sep 25;43(11):1119-26. [PMID 21946352]
Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-029-2012/0--Research
Tool. Patent protection is not being pursued for the GRM3 melanoma
metastatic cell lines.
Related Technologies: HHS Reference Nos.--E-244-2010/0 (patent app:
PCT); E-013-2011/0 (patent app: PCT); E-024-2012/0 (research tool); E-
272-2008/0 (patent app: US, EP); E-229-2010/0 (research tool); E-232-
2010/0 (research tool)
Licensing Contact: Whitney Hastings; 301-451-7337;
[email protected]
Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NHGRI 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 Claire Driscoll,
Director, NHGRI Technology Transfer Office, at [email protected] or
301-594-2235.
Human Melanoma Metastasis Cell Lines Harboring MITF Mutations
Description of Technology: Researchers at the NIH have found
recurrent somatic mutations in the microphthalmia-associated
transcription factor (MITF). Previous studies have linked the MITF
pathway to the progression of melanoma, however, little is known about
somatic gene mutations in the MITF pathway that could contribute to
this progression. The NIH researchers evaluated primary and metastatic
melanoma samples for the presence of somatic mutations in two genes of
the MITF pathway, MITF and SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 10
(SOX10). They identified 16 previously unidentified somatic mutations
in these genes. These studies suggest that MITF and SOX10 genes could
be used as diagnostic markers in human metastatic melanoma.
Consequently, these cell lines could be used to further investigate the
effects of MITF and SOX10 in melanoma and to develop therapeutics
targeting this gene and protein.
Potential Commercial Applications:
Diagnostic array for the detection of MITF mutations.
In vitro and in vivo cell model for the MITF mutations in
melanoma. This is a useful tool for investigating MITF phenotype
biology, including growth, motility, invasion, and metabolite
production.
Competitive Advantages:
Cell lines are derived from melanoma patients.
The MITF mutation is frequent in melanomas.
Development Stage: Pre-clinical
Inventors: Yardena Samuels (NHGRI) and Steven Rosenberg (NCI)
Publication: Cronin JC, et al. Frequent mutations in the MITF
pathway in melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2009 Aug;22(4):435-44.
[PMID 19422606]
Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-023-2012/0--Research
Tool. Patent protection is not being pursued for the MITF melanoma
metastatic cell lines.
Related Technologies: HHS Reference Nos.--E-029-2012/0 (research
tool); E-013-2011/0 (patent app: PCT); E-024-2012/0 (research tool); E-
272-2008/0 (patent app: US, EP); E-229-2010/0 (research tool); E-232-
2010/0 (research tool)
Licensing Contact: Whitney Hastings; 301-451-7337;
[email protected]
Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NHGRI 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 Claire Driscoll,
Director, NHGRI Technology Transfer Office, at [email protected] or
301-594-2235.
Human Melanoma Metastasis Cell Lines Harboring TRRAP, GRIN2A, and PLCB4
Mutations
Description of Technology: Researchers at the NIH have identified
[[Page 8549]]
several novel somatic (e.g., tumor-specific) alterations, many of which
have not previously been known to be genetically altered in tumors or
linked to melanoma. In particular, the researchers identified a
recurrent ``hotspot'' mutation in the transformation/transcription
domain-associated protein (TRRAP) gene, identified the glutamate
receptor ionotropic N-methyl D-aspartate 2A (GRIN2A) gene as a highly
mutated in melanoma, and have shown that the majority of melanoma
tumors have alternations in genes encoding members of the glutamate
signaling pathway, such as phospholipase C, beta 4 (PLCB4). Therefore,
this technology not only provides a comprehensive map of genetic
alterations in melanoma, but has important diagnostic and therapeutic
applications.
Available for licensing are several melanoma cell lines that harbor
TRRAP, GRIN2A, and PLCB4 mutations. These cell lines provide useful and
efficient tools for studying melanoma and can be used in the
development of specific therapeutics for patients harboring these
mutations. Specifically, these cell lines could be used to develop
inhibitors to limit tumor growth and further understand melanoma and
the biology of these genes.
Potential Commercial Applications:
Diagnostic array for the detection of TRRAP, GRIN2A, and
PLCB4 mutations.
Method of identifying TRRAP, GRIN2A, and PLCB4 inhibitors
as therapeutic agents to treat malignant melanoma patients.
In vitro and in vivo cell model for understanding the
biology of TRRAP, GRIN2A, and PLCB4, including growth, motility,
invasion, and metabolite production.
Competitive Advantages:
Cell lines are derived from melanoma patients.
TRRAP, GRIN2A, and PLCB4 mutations are highly frequent
and/or highly mutated in melanomas.
Glutamate antagonists have already been shown to inhibit
tumor growth. Thus, this technology may prove useful for the
development of novel diagnostic tests and therapeutics.
Development Stage: Pre-clinical
Inventors: Yardena Samuels (NHGRI) and Steven Rosenberg (NCI)
Publication: Wei X, et al. Exome sequencing identifies GRIN2A as
frequently mutated in melanoma. Nat Genet. 2011 May; 43(5):442-6. [PMID
21499247]
Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-024-2012/0--Research
Tool. Patent protection is not being pursued for the TRRAP, GRIN2A,
PLCB4 melanoma metastatic cell lines.
Related Technologies: HHS Reference Nos.--E-013-2011/0 (patent
apps. PCT); E-272-2008/0 (patent apps. US, EP); E-229-2010/0 (research
tool); E-232-2010/0 (research tool); E-029-2012/0 (research tool); E-
244-2012/0 (patent app: PCT)
Licensing Contact: Whitney Hastings; 301-451-7337;
[email protected]
Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NHGRI 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 Claire Driscoll,
Director, NHGRI Technology Transfer Office, at [email protected] or
301-594-2235.
Dated: January 31, 2013.
Richard U. Rodriguez,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2013-02516 Filed 2-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P