Tufts University and Harvard University have been awarded US Patent No. 7,011,946, "In vivo assay for identification of antimicrobial agents."
Inventors listed on the patent are Debabrata RayChaudhuri and Marc Kirschner.
According to its abstract, the patent protects novel in vivo assay systems and methods of using the assays systems to identify compounds that affect microbial cell division. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions that have antimicrobial activity and methods of treating microbial infections.
Shiongi & Co. has been awarded US Patent No. 7,011,951, "Apoptosis-associated gene."
Inventors listed on the patent are Setsuko Sahara, Yutaka Eguchi, and Yoshihide Tsujimoto.
According to its abstract, the patent protects a polypeptide possessing an action of causing chromatin condensation; a sense nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide; an antisense nucleic acid thereof, which is a probe or primer capable of specifically binding to the nucleic acid; an antibody or a fragment thereof against the polypeptide; an agent for controlling apoptosis, comprising the nucleic acid, the polypeptide, or the antibody or a fragment thereof; a screening method for a substance for controlling chromatin condensation, comprising evaluating an activity of causing chromatin condensation exhibited by the polypeptide; and a substance for controlling chromatin condensation. The present invention is useful for screening a substance controlling apoptosis, its use for controlling apoptosis, and its applications to various diseases accompanying apoptosis, the abstract states.
The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research in New Delhi, India, has been awarded US Patent No. 7,012,093, "Multiple fluorescent natural dye compounds from a marine organism and methods of use thereof."
Inventors listed on the patent are Usha Goswami and Anutosh Ganguly.
According to its abstract, the patent protects a novel compound multiple fluorescent natural dye from a marine organism Holothuria scabra having a chemical structure of Si-O-R type.
TopoTarget has been awarded US Patent No. 7,012,128, "Interaction between cyclin D1 and steroid receptor co-activators and uses thereof in assays."
Inventors listed on the patent are Rene Bernards and Renate Zwijsen.
According to its abstract, the patent relates to the finding that cyclin D1 interacts in a ligand-independent fashion with coactivators of the SRC-1 family. The direct interaction of cyclin D1 enhances estrogen receptor-mediated transcription and provides a novel target for the development of assays for substances which modulate the cell cycle. The invention provides assay methods for the prevention of growth of tumors, for assays for compounds useful in the prevention of tumors, and compounds obtainable by such assays.