Patents by Inventor Carol H. Pontzer

Carol H. Pontzer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Interferon tau mutants and methods for making them
    Patent number: 6833256
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the field of animal and human health, and more particularly to pharmacological uses of analogs or mutants of interferon-tau (IFN-&tgr;) that differ from native IFN-&tgr; because of substitutions of amino acids near the amino terminus of the IFN-&tgr; molecule that impart improved biological activity. The IFN-&tgr; mutants described in this disclosure have low toxicity, retain the same or slightly reduced antiviral activity compared with highly effective IFN-alpha, and have enhanced antiproliferative activity compared to native IFN-tau, making them useful in treating viral infections, cancer, and immune system diseases including autoimmune diseases. The present invention is also directed to a method for making novel recombinant proteins, especially interferons, interleukins, and cytokines, polypeptide hormones and other biopharmaceuticals that have improved biological activity over known proteins and/or lower toxicity and/or increased stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: University of Maryland
    Inventors: Carol H. Pontzer, Lynnette H. Shorts, Christina Dancz Clark
  • Small molecules that elicit a polarized Th1 response and for modulation of cellular immunity
    Patent number: 6451853
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of using peptide-like compounds, e.g., aminocarboxylic acid amide derivatives, to bias the immune system toward producing, enhancing, or maintaining a polarized Th1 response, and to methods for treating diseases that improve by creating a Th1 response. The invention also relates to a method of treating diseases associated with elevated soluble TNF alpha levels by administering beta-alethine together with NAC to reduce soluble TNF alpha, and to a pharmaceutical composition comprising same. The present compounds can be used to modulate cytokines including IFN-gamma and IL-10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Dovetail Technologies, Inc
    Inventors: Floyd E. Taub, Carol H. Pontzer
  • Low-toxicity human interferon-alpha analogs
    Patent number: 6204022
    Abstract: The invention describes a method of reducing the cytotoxicity of interferon-alpha by making defined amino acid substitutions in the N-terminal portion of the polypeptide sequence. Also described are human interferon-alpha analogs with low cytotoxicity, and therapeutic applications of the low toxicity interferon-alpha analogs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Pepgen Corporation and University of Florida
    Inventors: Howard M. Johnson, Carol H. Pontzer, Prem S. Subramaniam, Lorelie H. Villarete, Jackeline Campos
  • Superantigen agonist and antagonist peptides
    Patent number: 5859207
    Abstract: The subject invention concerns novel peptide agonists and antagonists of staphylococcal enterotoxin A. Specifically exemplified are peptide agonists which stimulate T cell proliferation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: University of Florida
    Inventors: Howard M. Johnson, Carol H. Pontzer, Nathan D. Griggs
  • Superantigen agonist and antagonist peptides
    Patent number: 5545716
    Abstract: The subject invention concerns novel peptide agonists and antagonists of staphylococcal enterotoxin A. Specifically exemplified are peptide agonists which stimulate T cell proliferation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: University of Florida
    Inventors: Howard M. Johnson, Carol H. Pontzer, Nathan D. Griggs