Diana Lopez, Lynn Herbert, Mantley Dorsey Jr., Gunter Kraus and James Hnatyszyn
Problem
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. with over 500 thousand per year.
Solution
The invention involves an 11 amino acid peptide (IEP11) which corresponds to a unique region of the secreted form of human mucin protein (sec-mucin). It is the transmembrane form of mucin (trans-mucin) that is found on the apical surfaces of most glandular epithelial cells, including the ductal epithelium of the breast. Trans-mucin is over expressed and under glycosylated in breast cancer cells and thereby differs antigenically from trans-mucin expressed by nonmalignant cells. While the tumor-associated trans-mucin is antigenically distinct from the wild type trans-mucin, the immune response elicited by this novel T-cell epitope is insufficient to destroy the tumor cells.
Competitive Advantage
This small protein drug has the potential to be a universal adjuvant for use with or without traditional chemotherapy. Immunomodulation to help one's body fight cancer can reduce the need for toxic chemotherapy and increase the survival rate and quality of life.
Applications
The 11 amino acid peptide can be used as a vaccine adjuvant to enhance in vivo immune responses, to induce the production of cytokines, as a mitogen of one or more cell subpopulations, or to enhance cellular cytotoxicity.
Patent Status
U.S. Patent US7285282 B2 entitled "Mucin peptide with immunoenhancing properties" was granted October 23, 2007; Internatonal counterpart, WO02078607 was published on October 10, 2002. Japanese Patent No. 4223813 was granted November 28, 2008.
Licensing Opportunity
We are seeking a biomedical company to sponsor further research and development. Such sponsors will be granted options to license the technology on a worldwide basis.
About the Inventors
Dr. Lopez is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami and Program Leader of the Tumor Immunology Program at UMSCCC. Dr. Lopez has dedicated her career to investigations of immunity against breast tumors and has served as President and at present as member of the Senior Council of the International Association for Breast Cancer Research. She has served in multiple study sections and site visits for NIH and ACS. In 2004, Dr. Lopez was appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board. She has mentored many predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees, and has coordinated four graduate courses, participated in multiple undergraduate and graduate courses and organized various seminar series for the Cancer Center and for her department.
Selected References
Herbert LM, Grosso JF, Dorsey M Jr, Fu T, Keydar I, Cejas MA, Wreschner DH, Smorodinski N, Lopez DM, A unique mucin immunoenhancing peptide with antitumor properties, Cancer Res. 2004 Nov 1;64(21):8077-84.
Grosso JF, Herbert LM, Owen JL, Lopez DM, MUC1/sec-expressing tumors are rejected in vivo by a T cell-dependent mechanism and secrete high levels of CCL2. J Immunol. 2004 Aug 1;173(3):1721-30.
