Patents Assigned to The Administrators of the Tulane
  • UTILIZATION OF IRON SALTS TO STABILIZE AND/OR DISINFECT BIOSOLIDS
    Publication number: 20150000358
    Abstract: In order to render sewage sludge suitable for beneficial purposes, it must be disinfected and stabilized. EDC deactivation is rapidly becoming a desirable result of any sludge or biosolids treatment process. Disclosed herein is a process of treating sewage sludge so as to stabilize the sludge that involves the presence of an iron-containing compound during dewatering of the sludge. Process embodiments described also achieve biosolid samples that have reduced EDC activity, Other embodiments disclosed involve use of a combination of iron salts ferrate and ferric chloride that are added to wastewater sludge in the dewatering step before heat drying. The biosolids resulting from sludge treated with aniron-containing compound are able to resist putrefaction for more than two to three weeks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
    Inventors: Robert S. REIMERS, Andrew J. ENGLANDE, JR., Norman K. MURRAY, Yue XU
  • SOLUBLE AND MEMBRANE-ANCHORED FORMS OF LASSA VIRUS SUBUNIT PROTEINS
    Publication number: 20140377740
    Abstract: Soluble and membrane-anchored forms of Lassa virus (LASV) glycoprotein 1 (GP1), glycoprotein 2 (GP2), the glycoprotein precursor (GPC), the nucleocapsid protein (NP), and the nucleic acids encoding these proteins are disclosed, as well as diagnostic and preventative methods using these compositions. Also disclosed are methods including preparation of vaccines, factors (e.g. small molecules) that inhibit LASV infectivity, and diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies including neutralizing antibodies for the prevention and treatment of infection by LASV and other arenaviruses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicants: BIOFACTURA, INC., THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
    Inventors: Luis M. BRANCO, Alexander MATSCHINER, Megan M. ILLICK, Darryl B. SAMPEY, Robert F. GARRY, Daniel G. BAUSCH, Joseph N. FAIR, Mary C. GUTTIERI, Kathleen A. CASHMAN, Russell B. WILSON, Peter C. KULAKOSKY, F. Jon GESKE
  • Analogs of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and methods for their use
    Patent number: 8916517
    Abstract: This invention relates to novel analogs of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), which are agonists for the PACAP/vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors: PAC1, VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors. These PACAP analogs can be used as prophylactic/therapeutic agents for a wide range of medical disorders, including (but not limited to) cancer and autoimmune disease. These PACAP analogs can be coupled to suitable radionuclides and used in the localization, diagnosis and treatment of disseminated cancers and metastatic tumors, or coupled to small molecule therapeutics and used as vectors for targeted drug delivery. This invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions of one or more PACAP-like compounds of the invention either alone or in combination with one or more other prophylactic/therapeutic agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: David H. Coy, Jerome L. Maderdrut, Min Li
  • Methods of inhibiting the ghrelin/growth hormone secretatogue receptor pathway and uses thereof
    Patent number: 8883721
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for treatment, prevention or management of obesity, obesity related disorders, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome in a subject by administering a ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) inhibitor and/or a ghrelin receptor antagonist to the subject. The invention also provides ghrelin receptor antagonists of formula (VII): A11-A12-A13-Gly-Ser-A14-Phe-Leu-A15-A16-A17-A18 (SEQ ID NO: 93), wherein each of A11, A12, and A13 is independently absent, an amino acid, or an amino protecting group; each of A15, A16, A17, and A18 is independently absent or an amino acid; and A14 is a serine conjugated with a —(O)C1-C20alky or a diaminopropionic acid conjugated with a —C(O)C1-C20alkyl group, provided that at least one of A11, A12, or A13 is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: McGill University, The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Cyril Y. Bowers, David H. Coy, Simon J. Hocart, Gloria S. Tannenbaum
  • Stimulus-responsive apta chelamers
    Patent number: 8877908
    Abstract: Disclosed are apta-chelamers comprising aptamer domains tethered to rationally designed synthetic protein-binding modules, and methods of designing and making the same. Also disclosed are stimulus-responsive apta-chelamers capable of simultaneously or sequentially binding (and, thus, inhibiting) two protein targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Janarthanan Jayawickramarajah, David Calvin Harris
  • Compounds, their syntheses, compositions, and methods to treat cancer
    Patent number: 8853452
    Abstract: Compounds and their syntheses are disclosed herein. Compositions and pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound are also described, and include compositions also comprising liposomes. Methods for the treatment of cancer in animals comprising administering a compound or a composition comprising a compound are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Barbara S. Beckman, Maryam Foroozesh, Jiawang Liu
  • Paper Based Diagnostic Test
    Publication number: 20140295472
    Abstract: A device utilizing agglutination and its method of use to diagnose diseases or conditions. The diagnostic device may comprise a substrate having pores, an agglutination zone, and a test readout zone wherein said agglutination zone is functionalized with an agglutinating agent to cause agglutination of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
    Inventors: Sergey S. Shevkoplyas, Xiaoxi Yang, Julie Kanter Washko, Nathaniel Zane Piety
  • Tuned synthetic dendrimer calibrants for mass spectrometry
    Patent number: 8846848
    Abstract: Provided are monodisperse synthetic dendrimer calibrants for mass spectrometry. The calibrants are distinguished by their relative ease and rapidity of synthesis, comparatively low cost, long shelf life, high purity, and amenability to batch synthesis as mixtures. The latter characteristic enables parallel preparation of higher molecular weight compounds displaying useful distributions of discrete molecular weights, thereby providing multi-point mass spectrometry calibration standards. Methods of making and using said calibrants are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventor: Scott M. Grayson
  • IMMUNOGENIC PEPTIDE CONJUGATE AND METHOD FOR INDUCING AN ANTI-INFLUENZA THERAPEUTIC ANTIBODY RESPONSE THEREWITH
    Publication number: 20140271650
    Abstract: Immunogenic influenza hemagglutinin-derived peptide conjugates described herein induce a specific therapeutic antibody response against influenza virus. The immunogenic peptide conjugates comprise a segment from the fusion initiation region (FIR) domain of an influenza hemagglutinin protein conjugated to an immunogenic carrier protein, such as keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), bovine serum albumin (BSA), an influenza hemagglutinin (HA) protein (i.e., full length HA), and the like. The immunogenic peptide conjugates described herein can be utilized to treat or prevent influenza infection and to prepare influenza-specific therapeutic antibodies that interfere with influenza virus-host cell membrane fusion. The peptide conjugates can be formulated in pharmaceutical compositions useful for broad spectrum treatment or prevention of influenza infections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
    Inventors: Robert Francis GARRY, Russell B. WILSON
  • IMMUNOPROTECTIVE PRIMARY MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS AND METHODS
    Publication number: 20140271580
    Abstract: Immunoprotective primary mesenchymal stems cells (IP-MSC) which episomally express multiple immunoreactive polypeptides that specifically target a pathogen (e.g., an infectious species of virus, bacterium, or parasite) or toxin are described herein. The IP-MSC express two or more (e.g., 2 to about 100) immunoreactive polypeptides (e.g., full antibodies, single-chain antibodies (ScFV), Fab or F(ab)2 antibody fragments, diabodies, tribodies, and the like), and optionally one or more other immunomodulating polypeptides, e.g., a cytokine such as an interleukin (e.g., IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-12), an interferon (e.g., IFN?, IFN?, or IFN?), and the like, which can enhance the effectiveness of the immunoreactive polypeptides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
    Inventor: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
  • ARENAVIRUS INHIBITING PEPTIDES AND USES THEREFOR
    Publication number: 20140243256
    Abstract: The present invention describes peptides which inhibit fusion of an arenavirus (e.g., Pichinde virus; PICV) with a host cell membrane. The arenavirus inhibiting (AVI) peptides described herein comprise a segment of the GP2 protein of an arenavirus. The AVI peptides are useful for inhibiting arenavirus-to-host cell membrane fusion and for treating arenavirus infections. In a particular embodiment, the arenavirus inhibiting peptide comprises a segment of PICV glycoprotein 2 (PICV GP2; SEQ ID NO: 1), Tamiami virus (TAMV) GP2 (SEQ ID NO: 14), or Lassa virus (LASV) GP2 (SEQ ID NO: 15). In particular, the segment is selected from a region of an arenavirus GP2 extending from the N-terminus into the first half of the FIR (i.e., from residues 1 through 105 of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 14, or SEQ ID NO: 15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Jennifer S. SPENCE, Robert F. GARRY
  • MULTI-COMPONENT DETACHABLE JAW TOOLS AND METHODS OF USING AND MAKING SAME
    Publication number: 20140236170
    Abstract: Provided is a jaw tool formed from two separable units and which includes a fastening device that attaches the two units together when the jaw tool is in use and which may automatically separate the units after the device performs its function such as clamping and/or cutting. Also provided is a jaw tool having a cutting blade wherein the contours of the device are shaped so that force is concentrated on the cutting bade when the device is closed. The jaw tool may be manufactured from a single injection molded-component that is used in duplicate to form the jaw tool. The jaw tool may be used in various applications in which it may be beneficial to simultaneously clamp and cut an object, such as various medical applications including vascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and placental.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: William Kethman, Dann Schwartz, Steve Allen Franseen
  • Peptide compositions and methods for inhibiting herpesvirus infection
    Patent number: 8802106
    Abstract: The present invention provides an isolated peptide having an amino acid residue sequence that comprises at least one human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B (HCMV-gB) sequence segment, each HCMV-gB sequence segment consisting of at least 8 and not more than 60 consecutive amino acid residues from residues 146 to 315, residues 476 to 494 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or from a sequence variant of residues 146 to 315 or 476 to 494 of SEQ ID NO: 1 that has at least 70% sequence identity thereto. The peptides of the invention are useful for treating, preventing, or inhibiting a herpesvirus (e.g., Herpes Simplex Virus-1, Human Cytomegalovirus, and the like) infection in a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Lilia I. Melnik, Robert F. Garry, Cindy A. Morris
  • UNDERGROUND REACTOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20140206912
    Abstract: An underground reactor for creating hydrocarbons and chemicals from organic material preferably includes a heat recovery device. Some embodiments of the present invention include at least one tube that injects biomass underground and at least one second tube that collects reacted biomass on the surface. Further tubes are also disclosed for the ability to control temperature and pressure and collect minerals and carbon dioxide. Methods for utilizing the reactor are additionally provided. Further embodiments include methods of using the reactor such as, for example, methods of creating fuel from algae and methods of using the minerals and carbon dioxide as food for an algae farm that will be used as biomass for the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
    Inventor: Brandon Iglesias
  • INFLUENZA INHIBITING COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS
    Publication number: 20140194347
    Abstract: The present invention provides peptides, peptide analogs, peptide derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions useful for treating or preventing influenza infections or preventing the person-to-person transmission of an influenza infection. A peptide of the invention comprises an influenza virus-cell fusion inhibiting portion of the fusion initiation region (FIR) of a wild-type influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a variant thereof. In a preferred embodiment, a peptide of the invention consists of 8 to 40 consecutive amino acid residues a portion of a wild-type influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a variant thereof, the portion of the protein comprising the FIR of the protein and up to five amino acid residues on the amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sides of the FIR.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicants: Autoimmune Technologies, LLC, The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Robert F. GARRY, Russell B. WILSON
  • PRIMARY MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS AS A VACCINE PLATFORM
    Publication number: 20140178422
    Abstract: Episomally transfected primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) express a polypeptide consisting of an antigenic polypeptide (e.g., one or more polypeptides) relating to a pathogen (e.g., one or more virus, bacterium, or parasite). The antigenic polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence of a natural polypeptide from the pathogen or an amino acid sequence differing from the natural sequence by one or more conservative amino acid substitutions. Uses and method for treating or preventing infections with episomally transfected primary MSC also are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Suzanne L. Tomchuck, Elizabeth B. Norton, Robert F. Garry, Bruce Bunnell, John D. Clements
  • OIL EMULSIFICATION AND POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON ADSORPTION USING FINE PARTICLES AS DISPERSANTS
    Publication number: 20140166575
    Abstract: A method for cleaning an oil spill in a marine environment includes forming a particle-stabilized emulsion containing seawater, carbon black and at least one oil spill component and allowing the at least one oil spill component to degrade, thereby removing said component from the marine environment. Carbon black can be added to an oil-seawater mixture to form a stabilized emulsion containing at least one oil spill component and the oil spill component allowed to degrade, thereby removing the at least one oil spill component from the oil spill. Also disclosed is an emulsion that includes one or more oil spill components, seawater and carbon black particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicants: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND, CABOT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arijit Bose, Vijay T. John, Ani Tzankova Nikova
  • Mu opioid receptor agonist analogs of the endomorphins
    Patent number: 8716436
    Abstract: The invention relates to cyclic peptide agonists that bind to the mu (morphine) opioid receptor and their use in the treatment of acute and/or chronic pain. Embodiments of the invention are directed to cyclic pentapeptide and hexapeptide analogs of endomorphin that have (i) a carboxy-terminal extension with an amidated hydrophilic amino acid and (ii) a substitution in amino acid position 2. These peptide analogs exhibit decreased tolerance relative to morphine, increased solubility compared to similar tetrapeptide analogs, while maintaining favorable or improved therapeutic ratios of analgesia to side effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignees: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: James E. Zadina, Laszlo Hackler
  • DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE PRESENCE, ONSET AND EVOLUTION OF PARTICULATES IN CHEMICALLY OR PHYSICALLY REACTING SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20140080115
    Abstract: A device for monitoring particulates includes a means for correlating measurements of pressure across at least one filter, flow rate of a sample through the filter, or a combination thereof to the properties of particulates in a solution. More particularly, the device can be used for monitoring particulates in a reacting system to provide signals to the user or control input to the reacting system to alter the course of the reaction according to a desired path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND
    Inventor: Wayne F. Reed
  • COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR CORONAVIRUS INHIBITION
    Publication number: 20140045743
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for treating a coronavirus infection. A method embodiment comprises administering a polypeptide (preferably in a biocompatible pharmaceutical carrier) to a subject suffering from a coronavirus infection. The polypeptide comprises or consists of at least a portion of the fusion initiation region (FIR) of a coronavirus fusion protein. In some embodiments, the polypeptide comprises or consists of a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 2, 22, 23, 24, and 25 or an 8 to 40 contiguous amino acid residue portion thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicants: Autoimmune Technologies, LLC, The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventors: Robert F. GARRY, Russell B. WILSON, I