Notice2026-21905
Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 27, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentNational Institutes of Health
Abstract
The invention listed below is owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and is available for licensing 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 206 (Tuesday, October 27, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67593-67594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21905]
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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 invention listed below is owned by an agency of the U.S.
Government and is available for licensing 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: Inquiries related to this licensing
opportunity should be directed to: Jonathan Motley at 240-669-5209, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3d5752535c49555c53135052495158447d535455135a524b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="214b4e4f405549404f0f4c4e554d4458614f48490f464e57">[email protected]</span></a>. Licensing information may be obtained by
communicating with the Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property
Office, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 5601
Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852; tel. 301-496-2644. A signed
Confidential Disclosure Agreement will be required to receive copies of
unpublished information related to the invention.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Technology description follows:
Compositions and Methods for Detecting Lymphatic Filariasis
Description of Technology
Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis; LF) is a neglected tropical
disease characterized by painful deformation of the host. LF affects
over 120 million people throughout the tropics and subtropics of Asia,
Africa, the Western Pacific, and parts of the Caribbean and South
America. LF results from infection with the filarial parasites
Wuchereria bancrofti or Brugia malayi. Current methods of confirming
active
[[Page 67594]]
infection by W. bancrofti or B. malayi include microscopy and
immunoassays using serum/plasma extracted from the patient. However,
the sensitivity of microscopy detection varies among patients, and
existing immunoassays show cross-reactivity with antibodies directed
towards other parasites, such as Onchocerca volvulus or Loa loa, whose
geographic distribution can overlap with the LF-causing filarial
parasites.
This new technology addresses the limitation of cross-reactivity,
presenting an opportunity for a directed assay towards the detection of
W. bancrofti or B. malayi. Preliminary data against sera from LF-
affected individuals indicates Wb4 is effective at detecting B. malayi.
Wb4B, a modified version of recombinant Wb4 that lacks the nineteen
(19) amino acid signal sequence of full-length Wb4, appears capable of
isolation and purification by traditional molecular biology techniques
and shows improved response in immunoassays.
The subject technology, including the antigen sequence for Wb4B and
plasmids enabling bacterial, insect, and mammalian cell expression, is
available for licensing for commercial development in accordance with
35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR part 404, as well as for further development
and evaluation under a research collaboration.
There may be the potential to combine this technology with other
NIAID-developed biomarker technologies (Wb123, available for licensing,
HHS Ref. No. E-281-2010-0, ``Diagnostic Assays and Methods of Use for
Detection of Filarial Infection'' and Wb5, available for licensing, HHS
Ref. No. E-093-2022-0, ``Compositions and Methods for Detecting
Lymphatic Filariasis'') for the development of a multiplex assay for
detection of active W. bancrofti or B. malayi infection for diagnostic
or surveillance purposes.
Potential Commercial Applications:
<bullet> Diagnostics for W. bancrofti and B. malayi infection.
<bullet> Surveillance for W. bancrofti and B. malayi prevalence.
Competitive Advantages:
<bullet> Increased specificity compared to available diagnostics.
<bullet> Differentiation from other parasites with similar
geographic footprints.
Development Stage:
<bullet> Pre-Clinical.
Inventors: Dr. Thomas B. Nutman and Dr. Sasisekhar Bennuru, both of
NIAID.
Intellectual Property: HHS Reference No. E-067-2024-0. U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 63/672,667, filed on July 17, 2024,
and PCT Application No. PCT/US2025/037585, filed on July 17, 2025.
Related Inventions: Diagnostic Assays and Methods of Use for
Detection of Filarial Infection (HHS Reference No. E-281-2010-0);
Compositions and Methods for Detecting Lymphatic Filariasis (HHS
Reference No. E-093-2022-0).
Licensing Contact: To license this technology, please contact
Jonathan Motley at 240-669-5209, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#573d383936233f3639793a38233b322e17393e3f79303821"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="462c292827322e2728682b29322a233f06282f2e68212930">[email protected]</span></a>, and
reference E-067-2024-0.
Collaborative Research Opportunity: The National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases is seeking statements of capability or
interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further
develop, evaluate, or commercialize this technology. For collaboration
opportunities, please contact Jonathan Motley at 240-669-5209, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#52383d3c33263a333c7c3f3d263e372b123c3b3a7c353d24"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4f2520212e3b272e216122203b232a360f21262761282039">[email protected]</span></a>.
Dated: October 22, 2026.
Surekha Vathyam,
Director, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Office,
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
[FR Doc. 2026-21905 Filed 10-26-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4167-05-P
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