E6-10727. Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: (N)-Methanocarba Adenosine Derivative as A3 Receptor Agonists

AGENCY:

National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This is notice, in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(c)(1) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i), that the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services, is contemplating the grant of an exclusive license worldwide to practice the invention embodied in: International Patent Application PCT/US2005/031678 filed September 2, 2005 entitled, “(N)-Methanocarba Adenosine Derivative as A3 Receptor Agonists”, to Can-Fite BioPharma, Ltd. having a place of business in Petach-Tikva, Israel. The contemplated exclusive license may be limited to an FDA approvable human therapeutic for cancer, autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases. The United States of America is the assignee of the patent rights in this invention.

DATES:

Only written comments and/or application for a license which is received by the NIH Office of Technology Transfer on or before September 8, 2006 will be considered.

ADDRESSES:

Request for a copy of the patent, inquiries, comments, and other materials relating to the contemplated license should be directed to: Norbert Pontzer, Technology Licensing Specialist, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, MD 20852-3804; Telephone: [phone]; Facsimile: 301-402-0220; e-mail: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Researchers have been pursuing compounds that activate or inhibit adenosine A3 receptors because these cell membrane proteins have a wide range of physiological and disease-related effects and are thus considered to be promising drug targets. The adenosine A3 receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors and are found mostly in brain, lung, liver, heart, kidney, and testis. When this receptor is activated moderately, a cytoprotective effect is observed, such as reducing damage to heart cells from lack of oxygen. However, at high levels of stimulation they can cause cell death. Both agonists and antagonists are being tested for therapeutic potential, for example, treatment of cancer, heart conditions, neurological conditions, pain, asthma, inflammation and other immune implications. This invention pertains to highly potent A3 adenosine receptor agonists, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such nucleosides, and a method of use of these nucleosides.

The prospective exclusive license will be royalty-bearing and will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7. The prospective exclusive license may be granted unless, within 60 days from the date of this published Notice, the NIH receives written evidence and argument that establishes that the grant of the license would not be consistent with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.

Properly filed competing applications for a license filed in response to this notice will be treated as objections to the contemplated license. Comments and objections submitted in response to this notice will not be made available for public inspection, and, to the extent permitted by law, will not be released under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.

Dated: June 29, 2006.

David R. Sadowski,

Acting Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.