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Drugs
ID# UMF-29
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Technology Peptides that enhance acetylcholinesterase expression
Scientific Relevance This invention uses peptides based on the amino terminal domain of the acetylcholinesterase (AChe) subunits ColQ and PRiMA together with an endoplasmic reticulum localization signal. When these peptides are administered to tissue cultured cells the expression of AChe is enhanced several fold potentially neutralizing the toxic effect of nerve gas and pesticide poisoning.
Commercial Opportunity There are close to 2 million acute pesticide poisonings reported per year with over 50,000 resulting in deaths.  Furthermore, the risk of terrorist poisoning is increasing continually.   An injectable peptide that can increase endogenous AChe levels is a potential therapy for nerve agent exposure of both military and civilian populations that has far reaching commercial and societal importance.
Competitive Advantage This is the only method that neutralizes toxic effects of nerve gas and pesticides by increasing levels of a naturally occurring enzyme. Furthermore, this is the only approach that can be used preventively, thus increasing the chance of survival of first responders.
Inventors Richard L. Rotundo and Carlos A. Ruiz
ID# UMF-01
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Technology Immunomodulating Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 25 (TNFR25) Agonists, Antagonists and Immunotoxins
Scientific Revelance The invention uses immunomodulating agents that can both stimulate the immune system or have an immunosuppressive effect.  TNFR25 agonists and antagonists have pro and anti-inflammatory action, respectively.  TNFR25 agonists can support tumor vaccination, while TNFR25 antagonists can treat disease caused by chronic inflammation and autoimmunity (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease).
Commercial Opportunity  Inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease cost between $3-5 billion annually to treat. To have a novel approach to these diseases that would also apply to transplantation autoimmunity is a unique commercial opportunity. 
Competitve Advantage Tumor vaccines that are currently available are often suppressed in the tumor environment.  This approach increases the vaccine’s ability to act on the tumor due to increased stability.   The myriad of biological effects that this immunomodulating agent can achieve is far superior to anything currently in use.
Inventors Vadim Deyev, Robert B. Levy and Eckhard R. Podack
ID# UMF-10
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Technology  Perforin 2 Proteins as a Novel Antibacterial therapy
Scientific Revelance This invention relates to the fields of antibiotics, anti-cancer agents and drug discovery. More specifically, it relates to a compound useful in activating the body’s natural defenses to both infections and tumors.
Commercial Opportunity The incidences of serious bacterial infections are increasing at home and in hospitals due to the development of antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, there are certain bacteria such as those causing tuberculosis that are naturally resistant to most antibiotics. For biological reasons alone, there is an urgent need to discover novel antibacterial agents.  Antibiotics, many of which have patents that will expire in the next few years, are currently a multi billion dollar industry.
Competitve Advantage This is a unique antibacterial approach in that it will not lose efficacy due to the development of resistance.
Inventors Vadim Deyev and Eckhard R. Podack
ID# UME-42
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Technology Antibody NKG2D Ligand Fusion Protein For Cancer Therapy
Scientific Revelance Certain anticancer drugs (e.g. Herceptin for breast cancer) act by attaching to specific receptors (HER2/neu) and thereby destroy tumor cells that express the receptor.  However, these drugs have reduced efficacy when the target antigen is inadequately expressed, or if immune function is impaired. One approach to overcome this, is to take advantage of a protein NKG2D-Ligand (NKG2D-L) that is ubiquitously expressed during times of infection and stress.  When NKG2D-L is bound to its specific receptor, there is increased cell killing potential.  Linking anti-tumor antibodies to NKG2D-L proteins increases the ability of immune effector cells to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. This approach could be used for a variety of anti-oncogenic applications.
Commercial Opportunity Adjuvant therapy for cancer is a multi billion dollar industry.  In the near future, as the population ages it is expected that expenditure for this type of drug will increase at a faster rate than any other category of medication.
Competitve Advantage Targeting molecules for cancer therapy allow much lower concentration of the toxic chemotherapeutic agent to be used. The advantage of this approach over non targeted molecules is its stability and the ability to use lower concentration.
Inventors Joseph D. Rosenblatt, Seung-Uon Shin, and Khaled A. Tolba
ID# UMH-01
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Technology Antibody-endostatin fusion protein and its variants.
Scientific Revelance This invention relates to compositions and methods for targeting and modulating the activity of tumor cells.  In particular, the invention relates to chimeric fusion molecules which have a tumor antigen targeting domain and an anti-tumor effector function domain.
Commercial Opportunity The sale of anti angiogenic molecules have reached the $600 million level and it is predicted by Forbes magazine to reach the billion dollar level in the next few years when it becomes applicable to colon, bladder, head and neck and prostate cancer. This approach is a huge improvement over these drugs.
Competitve Advantage As effective as anti angiogenic molecules are they have half life and concentration problems that this technology addresses.
Inventors Sherrie Morrison, Joseph D. Rosenblatt, and Seung-uon Shin
ID# UMF-32
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Technology Method Of Treating Multiple Myeloma By Targeting CD28
Scientific Relevance Targeting CD28 on myeloma cells can be used as a single agent for the treatment of multiple Myeloma. This approach can also be used in combination with other chemotherapy.
Commercial Opportunity Multiple Myeloma is the second most common hematological malignancy behind non-Hodgkin' lymphoma, with 15,000 new cases diagnosed each year.  It is currently incurable.  Patients characteristically respond initially to chemotherapy, but then relapse with increasingly more chemoresistant disease.  Thus novel therapies that can bypass the underlying resistance mechanisms are clearly needed.
Competitive Advantage Targeting CD-28 on myeloma cells could be a single agent treatment as opposed to the existing highly toxic treatments available.
Inventors Lee, K and Boise, L.H.
ID# TT-179
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Technology Repair and Regeneration for Spinal Cord Injury
Scientific Relevance This invention is a novel three component combination therapy which entails 1) the use of specialized nerve growth promoter cells in a bridge-like manner grown from the patient's own cells (Schwann cell bridge), 2) a class of drugs to reduce the inhibition to heal (phosphodiesterase inhibitors) and 3) a specific protein activator (cyclic adenosine monophosphate, cAMP).
Commercial Opportunity  In an average year, there are greater than 11,000 spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the U.S. About 40% occur in motor vehicle accidents and 25% result from violent encounters.  Approximately 250,000 - 400,000 people in the U.S. are paralyzed as a result of SCI. The economic impact is estimated at $9.7 billion each year and the cost of treating pressure sores alone is estimated at $1.2 billion. A therapeutic approach to a cure or an improvement would have an enormous socio-economic impact.
Competitive Advantage This is the only treatment that uses the patient’s own cells to regenerate the central nervous system.  The combination of cells and bioactive agents is unique and together they bridge the gap of the injury and facilitate directional nerve growth.
Inventors Mary Bunge and Damian Pearse
ID# UM0-28
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Technology A Novel Immune Enhancing Peptide, IEP11
Scientific Relevance 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).  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.
Commercial Opportunity Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. with over 500 thousand per year.
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 to toxic chemotherapy and increase the survival rate and quality of life.
Inventors Diana Lopez, Lynn Herbert, Mantley Dorsey Jr., Gunter Kraus, & James Hnatyszyn
ID# UMF-12
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Technology Hyaluronidase Inhibitors as Anti-Cancer Agents
Scientific Relevance This invention demonstrates that hyaluronidase (HAase) inhibitors may be used to inhibit tumor cell proliferation and/or progression through the cell cycle.  These inhibitors are being developed to treat cancer or a precancerous condition with special emphasis on solid tumors.  In addition these compounds may be anti-angiogenic and reduce the risk of cancer cell metastases.  These compounds are likely to be effective with little or no side effects.
Commercial Opportunity Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. with over 500 thousand per year.
Competitive Advantage This non-toxic anti-cancer therapeutic can be administered alone or as an adjunct traditional chemotherapy or radiation therapy.  This feature allows for reduced use of toxic chemotherapy and an improved quality of life.
Inventors Vinata Lokeshwar
ID# UMG-05
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Technology Use of Tetracycline to Treat Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)
Scientific Relevance The invention demonstrated that systemic administration of doxycycline reduces the progression of LAM, an aggressive and destructive, eventually fatal, lung disease of women by interfering with the mechanism of tissue destruction by decreasing the production of molecules involved in the progression of the disease (metalloproteases MMP-2 and MMP-9).  The preclinical testing is well advanced and preliminary human clinical trials have demonstrated proof of principle in twenty patients.
Commercial Opportunity LAM is characterized by an unusual type of muscle cell that invades the tissue of the lungs, including the airways, blood and lymph vessels.  The only known cure for patients with this severe disease is lung transplantation. Over 1,000 women with LAM have been identified in the U.S.; however, the precise number of people who have LAM is unknown. Scientists who study LAM estimate that there are over 250,000 women with LAM worldwide. More recent estimates are close to 3,000,000 worldwide.
Competitive Advantage This is the only known treatment for LAM which has the potential to delay or eliminate the need for lung transplant.  While being treated in preliminary clinical testing the patients were able to be more active and enjoyed a better quality of life.
Inventors Marilyn K. Glassberg, Sharon J. Elliot and Michael Karl
ID# UMC-05
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Technology Ubiquitin for the Treatment of Inflammation in Surgery and in Trauma
Scientific Relevance Extracellular ubiquitin, when released after trauma, has anti-inflammatory actions.  When administered to an animal model for endotoxic shock, ubiquitin was found to reduce almost all classical symptoms of inflammation.  When ubiquitin was given to animals with severe brain injuries, pressure within the skull was reduced significantly, and lung malfunction was prevented.
Commercial Opportunity Each year in the United States, at least 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI).  Of these people, about 50,000 die, and an estimated 80,000 to 90,000 people with TBI experience permanent disability from their injury.  Direct medical costs and indirect costs such as lost productivity due to TBI totaled an estimated $60 billion in the U.S. in 2000.
Competitive Advantage Ubiquitin does not produce any detectable, adverse side effects, and is extremely effective in reducing inflammation, regardless of the cause.
Inventors Matthias Majetschak and Kenneth Proctor
 

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