Available Technologies

Ginkgolide C Derivatives for Potential Therapeutic Applications

m03-061 — Ginkgolides from the Ginkgo biloba tree are diterpenes with a cage structure consisting of six 5-membered rings and the unique tert-butyl group. They exert a variety of biological properties. In addition to being antagonists of the platelet activating factor receptor, it has recently been shown that native ginkgolides are potent and selective antagonists of the inhibitory glycine receptor. Glycine receptors are found in the spinal cord, brainstem, midbrain, sensory systems (retina), and ...

Gab2 Gene Therapeutic Target for Melanoma

2344 — Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the US. If diagnosed in the early stages, melanoma can be treated with surgery; however metastatic disease has a poor prognosis with a median survival of 6-9 months. There is no therapy for thicker or metastatic melanomas proven to have a significant impact on survival. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel therapeutic targets and develop new treatment strategies for this disease. This invention is the identification of a ...

Diagnostic and therapeutic target for brain tumor

2584 — High-grade gliomas are the most common form of brain tumors in human beings. Generally brain tumors are treated similarly to other forms of tumors with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. But, there are very limited specific drugs that selectively target brain tumors. The technology identified a pair of transcription factors that are master regulators of the mesenchymal state of brain cells, which is responsible for the development of high-grade gliomas in humans. The te...

Generation of T Cells for Therapeutic Use

2871 — Many pathological conditions and clinical situations can lead to immunodeficiency in patients related to problems with the functioning of the thymus. As a consequence, the body is not able to produce enough T cells for the immune system to function properly. Current treatment strategies for thymic insufficiency include administration of cytokines and growth factors to enhance thymus function and ex vivo production of T cells for infusion. However, these methods are cumbersome and ineffic...

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Other Neurological Disorders, Therapeutic Target, ATF4

1930 — Identification of signaling molecules that affect learning, memory and neuronal survival can open the way for new methods to diagnose and drugs to treat disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. and Patent Pending (US20090148450A1, WO/2007/109107) ~ see links below. Available for Licensing and Sponsored Research Support

Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Mutation Marked as Therapeutic Target

2080 — Neurodegenerative disease is an umbrella term for several similar diseases that produce the progressive loss of neuron structure and function that lead to mental and physical disabilities and eventual death. Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that is the most common cause of dementia in people over the age of 65. In 2006, 26.6 million people were Alzheimer’s disease patients; it is estimated that 1 in 85 people across the world will suffer with Alzheimer’s disease in 2050. The di...

Prostate Cancer Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Tool using RAD9 Gene

2081 — Prostate cancer is the second most prevalent cancer type in American men and is now the second leading cause of cancer death within this group. Currently, there are a number of treatment options available, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and alternative approaches. Selecting one of these options often hinges on a number of factors including age, overall health, cancer grade, tumor localization/metastasis, and potential side effects. A cure for prostate cancer...

Therapeutic and Research Uses of Tooth-Derived Stem Cells

2293 — Stem cells derived from deciduous (baby) teeth and adult teeth have been isolated and a number of studies have shown these cells to be multipotent. Specifically, studies have shown that these Tooth-derived Stem Cells (TSCs) can be differentiated into osteoblasts, neuron-like cells, and adipocytes. The present invention demonstrates that TSCs can be differentiated into additional cell types, including pancreatic beta cells, myogenic cells, chondrogenic cells, hair follicle cells and em...

Compounds for targeted photodelivery of therapeutic substances for cancer

m09-102 — “Lead Inventors: , , Luis Baraldo, Ph.D. Tech Ventures Reference: M09-102 & In photodynamic therapy (PDT), light energy is used to induce a chemical reaction of a specifically-designed photosensitive drug. Using this method, the effects of the drug can be precisely targeted to the tissue of interest. Currently, PDT is used to treat Barrett's esophagus, and cancers of the esophagus, skin, lung, and pancreas. However, most PDT agents require high-energy ultraviolet light for effective...

Ceramide de novo synthesis-based therapeutic and prophylactic methods, and related articles of manufacture

1270 — “Name of the inventor: Tilla S. Worgall Decreasing Sterol Regulatory Element Binding-Proteins (mSREBP)in a Cell The method for increasing or decreasing the amount of mSREBP in a cell using an agent that specifically increases/inhibits de novo synthesis of ceramide in the cell is described. There is an associated decrease in the levels of fatty acids, cholesterol and triglycerides. Cholestrol Level Related Disease Therapy The method is useful in the treatment of hereditary disorders lik...

Fibrocartilage Derived from Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) for Therapeutic Use

2812 — Tissue engineering could potentially provide repair treatments for damaged avascular fibrocartilage tissues, which is resistant to regeneration in the human body. Successful derivation of fibrocartilage could help treat or replace damaged knee menisci, ligaments, tendons, intervertebral discs, and temporomandibular joints. Currently, few therapies exist to regenerate fibrocartilage tissue. The therapies that do exist rely on mechanical stimulus to induce fibrochondrogenic differentiation...

Treatment of atherosclerosis in cardiovascular disease

2556 — Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting over 80 million persons and representing the cause of a third of annual deaths. Indeed the market for treatment of hyperlipidemia, a cause of atherosclerotic disease, remains one of the largest in medicine, estimated at ~$15 billion in 2004 and growing to over $25 billion by 2015. Although HMG-CoA inhibitors (statins) have been the mainstay of lipid treatment in cardiovascular disease, much interest has ...

Exogenous human kidney protein as a bacteriostatic agent

2610 — Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are bacterial infections affecting any part of the urinary tract. UTIs are one of the most prevalent and resource taxing diseases in the USA with an annual cost of $3.5 billion for evaluation and treatment. UTIs can arise idiopathically or as a result of indwelling urinary catheterization. UTIs typically respond to oral antibiotics, however, antibiotic-resistant UTIs can arise due to accompanying metabolic disease, functional or anatomical urinary tract ab...

Obesity treatment targets acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) enzyme

m10-006 — Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylases (ACCs) are central to the fatty acid metabolism and are therefore promising targets for the development of therapeutic agents against obesity, diabetes, and other symptoms of the metabolic syndrome. ACC is a large, multi-domain enzyme in most eukaryotes. The activity of the enzyme is controlled by small molecule modulators at the transcriptional level. Two distinct classes of compounds, as illustrated by haloxyfop (FOPs) and tepraloxydim (DIMs), are potent ...

Cancer treatment for Tumor Cells Using RSL3

m10-018 — Drug candidate for cancer treatment is selective for cancer cells Patent Pending (US 61/274,949 & WO/2008/103470) ~ see link below. Available for Licensing and Sponsored Research Support STV Reference: IR M10-018 & M06-044

Regeneration of soft tissue

2700 — Adipose tissue is critical for the reconstruction of soft tissue wounds, breast cancer defects, facial defects, lipoatrophy and for soft tissue augmentation. The discovery that adipose tissue regeneration can be significantly enhanced by removing the inhibitors of adipogenesis (process of fat cell formation) and that host adipose stem cells can be recruited to a biological scaffold have the potential for affecting future soft tissue repair treatments. This technology represents a way to ...

Enzyme Treatment to Reduce Brain Edema

m11-032 — Although 1.7 million people in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) annually, there are no current FDA-approved pharmacologic treatments for the acute management of brain-injured patients. Brain edema (swelling) is a complex and dynamic complication that occurs after brain injury. Present treatments for brain-injured patients focus on lowering the raised intracranial pressure (ICP), but they are frequently either ineffective or too aggressive. Thus, there is a need fo...

Monoclonal Antibody Enhancing T Cell Reactivity in AIDS Treatments

2842 — AIDS is a significant cause of death and illness in children and adults worldwide. Although highly active antiretroviral therapy has improved HIV treatment in recent decades, treatment of late-diagnosed individuals can still be challenging. These patients may have either low T cell counts or impaired T cell reactivity with high HIV viral loads, and can be at greater risk for progression to an AIDS-defining illness or death. As a result, there is a need for a treatment that would enhance ...

Cervical Cancer Gene Markers for Targeted Therapy

2847 — Current treatment modalities for invasive cervical cancer result in largely unpredictable patient response. As a result, there is a pressing need for rational design of predictive biomarkers that can better guide treatment strategies in order to provide safer and more efficacious therapy. Recent advances in genomic and proteomic technologies have shown great promise in identifying biomarkers to enable more advanced diagnosis and allow for personalized therapy to improve clinical outcomes...

Novel treatments for breast cancers containing mutations in p53 including Fatostatin that target SREBP and SCAP

cu12116 — Mutations to the tumor suppressor gene p53 are found in 25-30% of all human breast cancers. Certain p53 mutants upregulate target genes such as the genes of the Mevalonate pathway, a pathway that facilitates the synthesis of hormones, steroids, and other bioactive small molecules. This overexpression is facilitated by the transcription factors SREBP and SCAP. In human cancer cells bearing p53 mutations, inhibiting the action of SREBP and SCAP with small molecules such as Fatostatin leads...

Black Cohosh Extract and Triterpene Glycoside Act as Anti-Neoplastic Agent or in Combination with Existing Compounds Results in Synergistic Anti-Cancer Action

2425 — Related Technologies: IR# & IR# Anti-Cancer Drug Toxicity and Resistance in Patients This invention is an extract from, and a particular component of, black cohosh (a flowering plant native to much of the Eastern United States) that alone has shown anti-cancer effects that are non-toxic. In addition, when the isolated component, a triterpene glycoside, is combined with the known anti-cancer agent paclitaxel, a synergistic effect was observed in inhibiting growth of breast can...

Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment: Anti-Cocaine Vaccine

2621 — Drug abuse and addiction treatment methods acting on the biomedical aspects of addiction, particularly cocaine addiction, present a promising approach to aid addicts in overcoming their dependence. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there were 1.5 million cocaine users in the United States and 699,000 people who sought treatment for cocaine use in 2010. Drug addiction can potentially be treated with this technology, a cocaine vaccine that works by causing an immu...

Metabolite Biomarker to Regulate Cancer Cell Growth

m10-032 — Cancer cells differ from most adult cells in their high uptake of glucose. The glucose is subsequently converted into lactate even in the presence of oxygen, allowing cells to accumulate glycolytic intermediates for cell biosynthetic processes. A key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway, pyruvate kinase M, has been implicated in determining the metabolic phenotype of cancer cells as opposed to normal adult cells. Pyruvate kinase M mRNA is alternatively spliced to produce two isoforms of the ...

Protein Shelled Microbubbles for Intravenous Oxygen Delivery

m10-100 — Gas-filled microbubbles are being increasingly used as ultrasound contrast agents, oxygen delivery and drug delivery vehicles. For intravenous oxygen, it is required to have oxygen gas encapsulated in a suspension with a high volume fraction (> 50 vol%) of very small microbubbles (1-10 um diameter). In storage, the suspension must be very stable, with minimal change in the size distribution or microbubble concentration over several days.On the other hand, in vivo, the microbubbles mus...

Bone Formation Technique for and Bone Loss and Tooth Extraction

2816 — In some clinical situations when bone will not heal itself, a bone graft procedure is performed. However, grafting can be complicated and traumatic for some patients. Numerous alternative methods and treatments preventing bone and tooth loss have been developed. Most of these are expensive or could be more efficient. A new treatment involves the generation of protein coated implants using bone morpheonetic proteins, which can be coated on an implant to stimulate and accelerate bone gr...

Early detection of irregular heart beats using implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs)

2952 — The technology computes the dominant frequency (DF) and dominant frequency spatial derivative (DFD) of an individual’s heart rate, indices useful for measuring the electrical activation of the heart. When an abnormally fast heart rate caused by ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) is detected, the technology will enable the ICD to quickly and accurately classify the heart rate as originating from one of 3 tachycardias: monomorphic re-entrant ventricular tachycardia (MVT), ventricular fibril...

Discovery of RAS-selective drugs to treat cancer

m06-044 — Many anti-cancer drugs currently in use are toxic compounds that cause significant side effects. These agents are often not particularly selective for tumor cells and can cause unwanted damage or death to normal cells. Furthermore, the high doses required to maintain the efficacy of many anti-cancer drugs results in increased toxicity in patients. Drug resistance is also an issue for cancer therapies: high doses and repeated treatments can produce tumors that are resistant to available c...

Inhibiting Insulin-Like Growth Decreases Cancer Cell Growth, Improves Chemotherapy Results

2319 — Inhibition of Insulin-like Growth Factor I Receptor Kinase (IGF1 RK) decreases cancer cell growth and may also render cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy. The compound picropodophyllin shows exquisite selectivity for the IGF1 RK, and thus could lead to a new class of chemotherapeutic drugs. Currently there is no drug on the market that acts upon the IGF1 RK. Development of such a drug is, therefore, an emerging macromolecular target of great interest. Moreover, there is an emer...

Fluorescence-based approach to study mRNA mutations in genetic disorders

m09-073 — Many genetic disorders are caused by mutations which introduce premature termination codons (so-called nonsense mutations) into a protein-encoding gene, causing premature termination of translation of an mRNA template containing the premature termination codon and resulting in the production of truncated, non-functional proteins. In addition, detection of premature termination codons often triggers an mRNA quality control pathway, known as nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, that rapidly and s...

Macular degeneration treatment using embryonic stem cells

m10-028 — Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness for people over 60. Some AMD patients experience the trauma of severe vision loss in a matter of weeks. Others experience the frustration of maintaining functional yet deteriorating vision over the course of many years. Since nearly all currently approved AMD therapies address only the advanced stage of the disease, few treatment options exist for the AMD patient population who experience gradual disease progression...

Selective Inhibitor of Calpain 1

cu12222 — Calpain 1 is a cysteine protease that is abnormally overactivated in the synapses of brains with Alzheimer’s disease. Inhibiting calpain can prevent cell death and synapse dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This technology encompasses the design, synthesis, and optimization of epoxide-based selective inhibitors of calpain. Many candidates were identified, and two stand out as promising preclinical candidates based on their high selectivity, low in vivo toxicity in murine mo...

Compounds for preventing restenosis after angioplasty or stent implantation

1911 — Related Technologies: IR# & IR# Prevention of vascular stenosis and restenosis in diabetic patients resistant to rapamycin : This technology provides new therapeutic strategies useful for the treatment and prevention of vascular stenosis and restenosis in diabetic and obese patients. Recent studies suggest that rapamycin resistance in diabetic and obese patients may be due to their elevated blood leptin levels. In addition, new research reveals that phosphatidylinositol 3-kin...

Non-antibody cancer therapy with a tumor suppressor gene

2491 — According to the American Cancer Society, the incidence of cancer and the deaths due to cancer remain high. In 2010, over 500,000 Americans might die of cancer and nearly 1.5 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed. As the incidence of cancer continues to rise, cancer therapies are needed more than ever. Conventional chemotherapy is limited by far reaching negative side effects due to the drug’s systemic toxicity that the patient may not be able to tolerate. Therefore, enti...

Simple Reagents for Direct, Halonium-Induced Cyclizations

m10-119 — Although Nature has developed enzymes to incorporate halogen atoms into bioactive structures in highly effective ways, chemists have not developed tools that can broadly emulate their efficiency; as a result, accessing such molecules requires laborious, lengthy, and non-direct routes. If tools could be developed to allow the direct incorporation of halogen atoms into these structures, especially through processes that also form other critical bonds concurrently, then many interesting bio...

Reproductive Tract Infections during Pregnancy Prevented with DNAase

2832 — Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common form of vaginal infection worldwide and is associated with a number of adverse consequences including preterm labor and an increased risk of HIV acquisition. BV is particularly common in Africa, where prevalence rates surpass 50%, but also affects roughly one-third of American women at some point in their lives. BV is caused by a profound imbalance in vaginal flora, where hydrogen-peroxide-producing Lactobacillus bacterial populations are reduc...

Gene Transduction Therapy in Neurodegenerative Disorders

cu12241 — The p70S6K gene has been discovered to induce axonal growth when in a constitutively active state. In order to simulate Parkinson’s disease in a mouse model, the Substantia Nigra (SN) was lesioned. Constitutively active p70S6K was introduced into the SN utilizing viral vector induction three weeks after lesioning. These mice showed significant axonal regeneration in this area 12 weeks following introduction of the constitutively active p70S6k gene. Available for licensi...

Methodology for generation of epithelial cells and differentiated tissues through in vivo reprogramming of fibroblasts

cu12242 — Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in the United States, and its aggressive forms are attributed to have a mortality rate second to only lung cancer. Prostate cancer arises in the prostate gland and can metastasize to other parts of the body, but the differentiation stages that enable prostate cells to undergo transformation are inadequately understood. This is in part due to inaccurate early prognostic markers and limited research models of prostate tissue and its com...

Anti-Cancer Treatment with C-Terminal p53 Palindromic Peptide that Induces Apoptosis of Cells with Aberrant p53

1330 — More than 50% of human malignancies, including breast cancers, are associated with missense mutations or deletions of p53, a sequence-specific transcriptional factor involved in cell growth regulation. Therefore, a therapy directed at specifically killing p53-mutant cells would have wide application in targeted cancer therapies. The invention identified two polypeptides comprising a given segment of continuous amino acids (SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2) or at least two of each covale...

Regulation, stimulation, and inhibition of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) expression

2515 — The development of small molecules that specifically activate the GDNF receptor or induce the expression of GDNF itself in relevant tissues and can be administered systemically would overcome most of the problems mentioned above. This technology demonstrates that the manipulation of sonic hedgehog (Shh) mediated cell signaling causes predictable alterations in GDNF and CNTF (ciliary neurotrophic factor, a potent survival factor for neurons and oligodendrocytes) expression in the adult an...

Alzheimer's treatment using new class of small molecule HAT activators

2632 — Epigenetic modifications, particularly those affecting histone acetylation, have been implicated in a number of diseases. Addition of acetyl groups to histones by histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enhances gene expression while their removal by histone deacetylases (HDAC) reduces expression. Reduction in histone acetylation has been found in mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Increasing histone aceylation by Histone Acetyltranferases (HAT) presents a promising therapeutic strat...

Stable suspension of microbubbles for wound treatment

m10-026 — Microbubbles, colloidal particles of size smaller than 10 microns, have a variety of applications in ultrasound imaging, targeted drug delivery, DNA loading, and oxygen delivery. Providing intravenous oxygenation of the blood stream is critical for promoting wound healing, treating stroke, and enhancing the therapeutic index of radiation therapy. This has the potential to revolutionize the critical care of both pediatric and adult illnesses. One of the key hurdles of this technology invo...

Targeted Microbubble Shell Preparation for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Targeted Therapies

m10-094 — A microbubble is a gaseous colloidal particle with diameter less than 10 um, of which the surface comprises amphiphilic phospholipids self-assembled to form a lipid monolayer shell. Due to the compressible gas core, microbubbles provide a sensitive acoustic response. They serve as echo contrast agents for ultrasound imaging, as drug delivery vehicles for targeted therapy, and as gas carriers for blood oxygenation. Designing and engineering non-immunogenic, ultrasound-triggered microbubbl...

Cancer Treatment with Statin-Like Drug for Mutant p53 Tumors

m11-022 — Over 50 percent of human tumors contain mutations in the gene encoding p53, a protein thought to play a role in early carcinogenesis. Classically, this gene is thought to be a tumor suppressor that causes cancer through a loss of function. However, mutant p53 has recently been shown to exhibit gain-of-function properties as well, causing cancer formation by enabling normally suppressed pathways. One such oncogenic pathway activated by this mutation is the sterol biosynthesis pathway. Inhibit...

Diabetic Complications Treatments

2981 — Diabetes is one of the most common chronic disorders, affecting 1 in 12 individuals in US. Although rapid progress in drug development has transformed diabetes from a fatal to a manageable disorder, it has simultaneously resulted in an increased number of long-term complications. For example, cellular swelling is a chronic condition that previously would not have had time to manifest in diabetes patients. The current rise in long-term complications thus underscores the need for the devel...

The use of TRPV3-directed compounds for prevention and treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers

cu13094 — Transient Receptor Potential Channel 3 (TRPV3) receptors are expressed in keratinocytes and influence cell proliferation and differentiation via a mechanism that regulate cytoplasmic calcium. This technology has identified TRPV3 as being dysregulated in human cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC). Furthermore, moderate TRPV3 activation with small molecule agonists has been found to arrest proliferation and reduce tumor size in human preclinical models. These findings suggest TRPV3 mod...

Site-Specific Chiral Ruthenium (ii) & Cobalt (iii) Anti-Tumor Agents

f8406 — “Name of the inventor: Jacqueline K. Barton Tumor Cell Death with Complex Containing Cobalt for Nicking DNA A complex containing cobalt for use in nicking DNA and in a method for killing tumor cells is described. Tumor Cells Treatment by Selectively Nicking the B-DNA or Z-DNA The method for selectively nicking B-DNA/Z-DNA present within DNA comprises effecting breakage of at least one phosphodiester bond within the B-DNA or Z-DNA. The method involves contacting the B-DNA/Z-DNA with a coordin...

Inhibition of cataracts and other disorders

ms93-01-30 — “Name of the inventor: Dezider Grunberger Inhibition of Formation and Progression of Cataract in an Eye Due to Oxidative Stress A method of inhibiting the formation of a cataract in an eye and a method of inhibiting the progression of cataract formation in an eye. Composition Comprised of Pharmaceutically Acceptable Carrier and Oxidative Stress-Inhibiting Compound ...

Inhibiting Proliferation of Smooth Muscle Cells

1443 — “Name of the inventor: Andrew Marks Related Technologies: IR# & IR# Inhibiting Proliferation and/or Migration of Smooth Muscle Cells The medical device has a coating comprising an HDAC inhibitor containing a plurality of coatings, wherein each coating comprises a biodegradable carrier and one HDAC inhibitor that is eluted from the stent by staged release. A method for inhibiting proliferation and/or migration of non-neoplastic smooth muscle cells in a subject comprises admini...

Metalloproteinase Inhibitors for Pulmonary Emphysema Treatment, Prevention

666 — “Name of the inventor: Jeanine D'armiento Pulmonary Emphysema Treated with Inhibitors: The use of metalloproteinase inhibitors in the treatment and prevention of pulmonary emphysema is described. The method involves admixing Metalloproteinase inhibitor in effective amounts with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier so as to form a therapeutic composition. The therapeutic composition may be used to treat human pulmonary emphysema. The metalloproteinase inhibitor is dilantine/battimastat/mi...

Long-term memory enhancement compound

604 — “Name of the inventor: Dusan Bartsch Agent to enhance long-term memory: A method for enhancing long-term memory in a subject with repressed cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) responsive gene expression is described. Therapeutic agent capable of enhancing long-term memory: An effective amount of a therapeutic agent that is capable of interfering with the binding of a cAMP-response-element-binding-protein-2 to a protein and/or a DNA associated with cAMP-responsive gene expression ...