The following articles concerning NIH technology transfer have been published in the Antiviral Agents Bulletin since February 1995. These articles demonstrate the breadth and value of NIH technology transfer in just one area, antiviral therapeutics, and the depth of coverage provided by the Antiviral Agents Bulletin.
For further information, retrieve related entries in the Federal Bio-Technology Transfer Directory database using keywords, company names, etc.
- Drug-Eradicated Live HIV Vaccines - Live attenuated HIV vaccines are being developed using HIV with the nef gene deleted and an inserted gene encoding herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) thymidine kinase (TK) to make infected cells susceptible to ganciclovir and other drugs requiring TK activation.
- CC-CKR-5, Second Cofactor for HIV Entry - Multiple teams, including one from NIAID, reported finding a second cofactor, CC-CKR-5, for fusion and entry of HIV virions into macrophage-tropic strains of HIV.
- Endogenous HIV Suppression Factors Identified - A combination of three endogenous proteins in the chemokine family (RANTES, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta) act together at low levels to significantly suppress HIV replication. These proteins may play a role in the low viral load and lack of disease progression of HIV-infection observed in a small percentage of HIV-infected patients (long-term survivors).
- Molluscum Contagiosum Virus (MCV) Sequenced - MCV is a persistent and sometimes disfiguring opportunistic skin disease often occurring in immune suppressed (e.g., up to 33% of AIDS) patients. Previously, little had been known about MCV because of it could not be cultured in vitro and there was no animal model.
- Generic Drug Companies and NIH Denied AZT Patent Appeal - The U.S. Supreme Court denied considering appeals by two generic drug companies (and NIH) challenging the main U.S. patent assigned to Glaxo Wellcome Co. covering use of AZT for treatment of HIV-infection and AIDS. Thus, an earlier appeals court finding that the patents were valid remains in force.
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FDA Approves Prophylactic Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immune Globulin - Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human) from MedImmune, Inc. received FDA approval for prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) high risk infants, e.g., premature infants and those with congenital heart disease. [MedImmune licensed RSV antibody administration technology from NIH].
- Interleukin-2 Shows Efficacy for Immune Restoration in HIV-Infection - Clinical trials have demonstrated that intermittent administration of interleukin-2 (Proleukin from Chiron Corp.) can signficantly improve the immune system in HIV-infected patients for up to two years. Chiron exclusively licensed an NIH patent (5,419,900) covering these methods on April 30, 1995.
- Parvovirus Vaccine Enters Trials Through CRADA - MEDI-491, the first human B19 parvovirus vaccine, has entered clinical trials. The vaccine has been exclusively licensed by MedImmune Inc. and is being developed through a CRADA with NIAID.