4608 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2008 / Notices 

The invention also relates to PA 

variants, and/or compositions thereof, 

which are useful for eliciting an 

immunogenic response in mammals, 

particularly humans, including 

responses that provide protection 

against, or reduce the severity of, 

infections caused by B. anthracis. The 

vaccines claimed in this application are 

intended for active immunization for 

prevention of B. anthracis infection, and 

for preparation of immune antibodies. 

Application: Improved B. anthracis 

vaccines. 

Developmental Status: Phase I clinical 

studies are being performed. 

Inventors: Joseph Shiloach (NIDDK), 

Stephen Leppla (NIDCR), Delia Ramirez 

(NIDDK), Rachel Schneerson (NICHD), 

John Robbins (NICHD). 

Publication: DM Ramirez, et al. 

Production, recovery and 

immunogenicity of the protective 

antigen from a recombinant strain of 

Bacillus anthracis. J Ind Microbiol 

Biotechnol. 2002 Apr;28(4):232–238. 

Patent Status: U.S. Provisional 

Application No. 60/344,505 filed 09 

Nov 2001 (HHS Reference No. E–023–

2002/0–US–01); U.S. Patent Application 

No. 10/290,712 filed 08 Nov 2002 (HHS 

Reference No. E–023–2002/0–US–02). 

Licensing Status: Available for 

exclusive or nonexclusive licensing. 

Licensing Contact: Peter A. Soukas, 

J.D.; 301/435–4646; 

soukasp@mail.nih.gov. 

Collaborative Research Opportunity: 

The National Institutes of Health is 

seeking statements of capability or 

interest from parties interested in 

collaborative research to further 

develop, evaluate, or commercialize 

methods of preparing Bacillus anthracis 

protective antigen (PA) from a cell or 

organism, particularly a recombinant 

cell or microorganism, for use in 

vaccines. Please contact Rochelle S. 

Blaustein, J.D., at 301/451–3636 or 

Rochelle.Blaustein@nih.gov for 

additional information. 

Chimeric Gag Pseudovirions 

Description of Technology: The 

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is 

the causative agent of acquired 

immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 

The HIV virion basically consists of a 

viral core and envelope. The core 

consists predominantly of gag- and polencoded proteins and the viral RNA. 

Expression of recombinant Gag 

precursor proteins can lead to assembly 

and budding of virus-like particles 

(pseudovirions). The production of Gagbased pseudovirions in mammalian and 

insect cell systems using recombinant 

virus vectors provides a novel 

technology for engineering recombinant 

protein-based particulate vaccines for 

HIV and other viruses. The 

incorporation of additional viral or 

cellular, peptides and polypeptides may 

be advantageous in vaccine 

preparations, since they may contain 

antigenic epitopes that may play a role 

in inducing protection from infection or 

disease. 

The subject invention provides 

chimeric nucleic acids comprising a 

retroviral gag sequence, a target nucleic 

acid sequence derived from a nucleic 

acid encoding a fusion partner, and a 

frame shift site. Expression of the 

chimeric gene cassette results in 

packaging the fusion partner into the 

Gag pseudovirion. Suitable fusion 

partners can be derived from any 

protein of interest which has a 

biological activity or which elicits a 

cellular or humoral immune response. 

Applications: HIV vaccines and/or 

therapeutics. 

Development Status: Early stage. 

Inventors: Gregory J. Tobin (NCI/ 

SAIC), et al. 

Patent Status: U.S. Patent No. 

6,099,847 issued 08 Aug 2000 (HHS 

Reference No. E–105–1996/1–US–01). 

Licensing Status: Available for nonexclusive or exclusive licensing. 

Licensing Contact: Susan Ano, PhD; 

301/435–5515; anos@mail.nih.gov. 

Dated: January 14, 2008. 

Steven M. Ferguson, 

Director, Division of Technology Development 

and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, 

National Institutes of Health. 

[FR Doc. E8–1259 Filed 1–24–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of 

Closed Meeting 

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 

amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice 

is hereby given of the following 

meetings. 

The meetings will be closed to the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions set forth in sections 

552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., 

as amended. The grant applications and 

the discussions could disclose 

confidential trade secrets or commercial 

property such as patentable material, 

and personal information concerning 

individuals associated with the grant 

applications, the disclosure of which 

would constitute a clearly unwarranted 

invasion of personal privacy. 

Name of Committee: Oncological Sciences 

Integrated Review Group; Basic Mechanisms 

of Cancer Therapeutics Study Section. 

Date: January 28–29, 2008. 

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant 

applications. 

Place: Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase 

Pavilion, 4300 Military Road, NW., 

Washington, DC 20015. 

Contact Person: Lambratu Rahman, PhD, 

Scientific Review Officer, Center for 

Scientific Review; National Institutes of 

Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6214, 

MSC 7804, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301–451–

3493, rahmanl@csr.nih.gov. 

This notice is being published less than 15 

days prior to the meeting due to the timing 

limitations imposed by the review and 

funding cycle. 

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 

93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333, 

93.337, 93.393–93.396, 93.837–93.844, 

93.846–93.878, 93.892, 93.893, National 

Institutes of Health, (HHS) 

Dated: January 16, 2008. 

Jennifer Spaeth, 

Director, Office of Federal Advisory 

Committee Policy. 

[FR Doc. 08–275 Filed 1–24–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–M 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of 

Closed Meetings 

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 

amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice 

is hereby given of the following 

meetings. 

The meetings will be closed to the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions set forth in sections 

552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., 

as amended. The grant applications and 

the discussions could disclose 

confidential trade secrets or commercial 

property such as patentable material, 

and personal information concerning 

individuals associated with the grant 

applications, the disclosure of which 

would constitute a clearly unwarranted 

invasion of personal privacy. 

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific 

Review Special Emphasis Panel; Nutrition. 

Date: January 31, 2008. 

Time: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant 

applications. 

Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 

Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892 

(Telephone Conference Call). 

Contact Person: Abubakar A. Shaikh, PhD, 

DVM, Scientific Review Administrator, 

Center for Scientific Review, National 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES