*** 9710722 Naleway This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project aims to develop new commercial uses of conjugates capable of exploiting common marker gene expression in transformed cells to control the growth and character of cells in living tissue. From our successes in Phase I we propose research that will provide breakthroughs needed to advance commercial uses of these recombinant gene systems in biotechnology. In Phase II of this project, Marker Gene Technologies, Inc. proposes to establish this technology by preparing new conjugates of common growth regulators, drugs and enzyme inhibitors, for administration to a variety of animal cells or bacteria in tissue culture that contain gene fusion marker genes. In addition, Marker Gene Technologies, Inc. will develop new vectors and systems for defined control of marker genes in vivo. These new conjugate systems will provide innovative methods of detecting gene fusions and utilizing these fusion systems in transformed cells in vivo to control selected biological properties of these cells. Potential Commercial Applications of the Research The success of this project opens up commercial possibilities in the fields of medical intervention in genetic diseases, new drug delivery systems, and improved biotechnological production of new proteins and drugs in cell-culture systems. ***
