324 PATENT ABSTRACTS

the glycoprotein and/or protein, purifying and isolating the degradation products, and separating those fractions in the individual purification steps based on the biological activity of the fraction. The products increase the body’s defenses against infection.

5091374

DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA CORRECTION OF

ABNORMALITIES IN CIRCULATING IMMUNE

COMPLEXES AND MONOCYTE FUNCTION

William A Carter assigned to HEM Research Inc

Abnormalities in the circulating immune com- plexes in a patient’s blood, such as observed in patients having inflammatory disorders, viral in- fections, or simply deranged immune function, are restored to normal or viral immunity con- ferred by the administration of a matched or mismatched dsRNA.

5091376

NON-CAPSULE EXOPOLYSACCHARIDE FROM

ZOOGLOEA RAMIGERA

Donald Easson, Oliver P Peoples, Anthony Sinskey assigned to Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Two new bacterial strains designated Zoogloea ramigera 115SL and Zoogloea ramigera I ISSLR, a rifampicin resistant derivative of 115SL, have been developed. These strains are derived from the wild type Zoogloea ramigera 115, ATCC 25935. The two new strains produce a novel exopolysaccharide (EPS) and have several desirable characteristics that are absent from the parent strain, including improved cul- ture properties, since they do not produce an EPS capsule layer like that of the parent 115 strain. The 115SL EPS is instead excreted as a slime layer which is not confined to the im- mediate area surrounding the cells. Since cells are not trapped within a floe where they grow at a reduced rate or die because of nutrient starva- tion, the new strains have more consistent and reproducible growth cycles and increased growth rates. As a consequence, ex-

opolysaccharide production is more consistent and titers are higher. The separation of the EPS from the cells is also much easier and more economical. The other very important charac- teristic of strains 115SL and 115SLR is that they are able to receive foreight DNA using conven- tional techniques due to the absence of the capsule layer. This facilitates the application of recombinant DNA technology to control and produce novel exopolysaccharides.

5091412

NOVEL ANTIVIRAL TERPENE HYDROQUINONES AND

METHODS OF USE

Amy S Wright, Sue S Cross, Neal S Burres, Frank Koehn assigned to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Inc

Novel terpene hydroquinones have been isolated from the marine sponge Stronglophora hartmanii. These compounds have been found to have antiviral activity. Thus, these compounds, and derivatives thereof, can be used to treat viral infections. Additionally, the subject invention concerns the discovery that the terpene hydro- quinone known as aureol has strong antiviral ac- tivity.

5091413

ANTIBIOTIC AGENT

George M Garrity, Val Sagrario M Del, Mary Nallin, Dennis Schmatz, Jack Smith, Frank L VanMiddlesworth, Kenneth E Wilson, Marcia M Zweerink assigned to Merck & Co Inc

An antibiotic agent produced by the cultivation of Dictyochaeta simplex is described. The com- pound has broad antifungal activity and anti- pneumocystis activity.

5091511

LYMPHOKINE ACTIVATED KILLER SUPPRESSIVE FACTOR

(LAKSF), PROCESS FOR PRODUCING IT AND

IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE AGENT COMPRISING IT

Saburo Sone, Masanobu Munekata, Akito