Anti-HIV agent conocurvone
Executive Summary
NIH announces in the Dec. 10 Federal Register that it is contemplating granting an exclusive worldwide license to a U.S. use and composition patent for conocurvone and other antiviral naphthoquinone compounds in inhibiting the growth or replication of viruses, particularly HIV-1 or HIV-2. The licensee would be the Australian Medical Research and Development Consortium (AMRAD) of Kew, Victoria, Australia. NIH announced in August that conocurvone was available for exclusive license ("The Pink Sheet" Sept. 13, T&G-10). The compounds are derived from the smokebush of the genus Conospermum found in western Australia.