[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63229-63230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24819]
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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 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. 209 and 37 CFR Part 404 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.
Peptide Inhibitor of p38 Mapk Signaling for the Treatment of
Inflammatory Autoimmune Diseases and Inflammatory Cancers
Description of Technology: This invention relates to a peptide
fragment of GADD45A growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible, alpha
(Gadd45a), a protein involved in the p38 Map kinase signaling pathway.
Although the fragment is only 15 amino acids in length, it retains the
functionality of Gadd45a by inhibiting enzymatic activity of tyrosine-
323-phosphorylaled p38 in vitro. The peptide fragment is tagged to
render it cell-permeable and, according to in vitro studies, it
exhibits minimal toxicity. The inventors have found that the fragment
readily penetrates T cells to inhibit (a) proliferation in response to
T cell receptor-mediated stimulation; (b) skewing of T cells to Th I
and Th 17 cells; and (c) inflammatory cytokine production. As a result,
this fragment has anti-inflammatory properties and has potential as a
therapeutic for inflammatory autoimmune conditions or inflammatory
cancers, such as pancreatic cancer.
Potential Commercial Applications: Treatment for inflammatory
autoimmune conditions or inflammatory cancers, such as pancreatic
cancer.
Competitive Advantages: Minimal cellular toxicity.
Development Stage: In vitro data available.
Inventors: Jonathan D. Ashwell, Mohammed S. Alam, Paul R.
Mittelstadt (all of NCI).
Intellectual Property:
HHS Reference No. E-281-2012/0--US Provisional Application
No. 61/728,368 filed 20 Nov 2012.
HHS Reference No. E-281-2012/1--US Provisional Application
No. 61/774,066 filed 07 Mar 2013.
Licensing Contact: Jaime M. Greene; 301-435-5559;
[email protected].
[[Page 63230]]
Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1) Inverse Agonists for the Treatment of
Diabetes, Obesity and Their Complications
Description of Technology: Endocannabinoids are lipid signaling
molecules that act on the same cannabinoid receptors--CB1 and CB2--that
recognize and mediate the effects of marijuana. Activation of CB1
receptors increases appetite and the biosynthesis and storage of
lipids, inhibits the actions of insulin and leptin, and promotes tissue
inflammation and fibrosis. This has led to the development of CB1
receptor blocking drugs (inverse agonists) for the treatment of obesity
and its metabolic complications, referred to as the metabolic syndrome.
However, many CB1 inverse agonists can cross the blood-brain barrier,
causing psychiatric side effects.
Researchers at NIH have now developed a novel strategy to
structurally modify CB1 inverse agonists with the goals of (1) limiting
their brain penetrance without losing their metabolic efficacy due to
CB1 inverse agonism, and (2) generating compounds whose primary
metabolite directly targets enzymes involved in inflammatory and
fibrotic processes associated with metabolic disorders. These modified
CB1 inverse agonists can be used to effectively treat metabolic
syndrome and its complications without the risk of the psychiatric side
effects, and have improved antiinflammatory and antifibrotic efficacy
due to acting on more than one molecular target.
Potential Commercial Applications:
Treatment for obesity
Treatment for metabolic syndrome
Treatment of diabetes
Treatment of fibrosis
Competitive Advantages:
Inhibits metabolic activity without causing psychiatric side
effects
Offers improved antiinflammatory and antifibrotic efficacy
Development Stage:
In vitro data available
In vivo data available (animal)
Inventors: George Kunos (NIAAA), Milliga Iyer (NIAAA), Resat Cinar
(NIAAA), Kenner Rice (NIDA)
Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-282-2012/0--US
Provisional Application No. 61/725,949 filed 11 Nov 2012.
Licensing Contact: Jaime M. Greene; 301-435-5559;
[email protected].
Collaborative Research Opportunity: The National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, is
seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in
collaborative research to further develop, evaluate or commercialize
peripherally restricted CB1 receptor blockers with improved efficacy.
For collaboration opportunities, please contact George Kunos, M.D.,
Ph.D. at [email protected] or 301-443-2069.
Software Method for 2-D NMR Tissue Compartment Analysis
Description of Technology: The invention pertains to a method for
improving the accuracy of compartment characterization using NMR.
Conventional methods use Laplace transformation analyzed one
dimensional transverse NMR relaxometry to investigate spin-lattice
decay of water in diverse body compartments using. This method,
although used extensively, is inaccurate and limited by signal-to-noise
obscurities and when the materials and compartments to be analyzed vary
in size or have disparate relaxation characteristics.
The improved method of this invention utilizes the detection of a
2-dimensional (2-D) NMR signal, created through use of a standard pulse
sequence and variations, analysis of the signal using inverse Laplace
transform, followed by projection of the resultant 2-D data onto a
single axis corresponding to the parameter of original interest. The
method can be extended to analyses for 3-D or higher dimensional
experiments and inverse Laplace transforms.
Potential Commercial Applications:
Compartment analysis
Petroleum discovery
Multiple sclerosis
Competitive Advantages:
Compartment resolution
Development Stage: Prototype
Inventors: Richard G. Spencer and Hasan Celik (NIA)
Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-734-2013/0--Software.
Patent protection is not being pursued for this technology.
Licensing Contact: Michael Shmilovich; 301-435-5019;
[email protected]
Dated: October 18, 2013.
Richard U. Rodriguez,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2013-24819 Filed 10-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P