Genetic Suppressor Elements for Treatment of Melanoma and other Cancers

Inventors: Meenhard Herlyn and Kapaettu Satyamoorthy

Tech ID: HM-99002

Description: Melanomas and other cancer cells often express elevated levels of surface molecules (e.g. Mel-CAM, integrins, and other adhesion molecules) that enhance the cells' ability to invade normal tissues and metastasize. Therefore, inhibition of these molecules or their functions may help prevent the spread of cancerous cells. Genetic Suppressor Elements (GSEs) are short fragments of genes that inhibit the function of the gene from which they are derived) to prevent the expression of surface molecules associated with the invasiveness of cancer cells.

Wistar researchers have developed a method of using a packaging-deficient retrovirus vector comprising one or more GSEs to down-regulate the expression of molecules associated with tumor invasiveness and other pathogenic traits. This vector can be used to prepare a library to screen for those GSEs that best down-regulate the expression of the target molecule(s). Libraries constructed using the Wistar vectors can undergo multiple screening cycles to identify the optimal GSE(s) to inhibit a given undesired trait (e.g. adhesion, angiogenesis).

Key Words: Cancer, therapeutic, gene therapy, cell therapy, angiogenesis, screening, screen

Applications and Advantages: The Wistar vector containing specific GSEs may be useful as therapeutic agents or for developing screening assays to identify new GSEs for a given gene.

Intellectual Property Status: U.S. patent application has been filed.

Licensing Opportunity: This technology is available for exclusive license. Wistar will also consider Sponsored research to further develop the technology.

Contact:

Meryle J. Melnicoff
Director, Business Development
The Wistar Institute
3601 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 898-0049
Fax: (215) 573-2456
melnicoff@wistar.org

Last Updated: Aug-02