Novel Treatment for Melanoma and Other Pigmentary Disorders

Background:
The National Cancer Institute's Laboratory of Cell Biology is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize the regulation of SOX9 function as a strategy to treat melanoma, modulate skin pigmentation and/or ameliorate skin pigmentation disorders.

Technology:
NIH inventors have discovered that the transcription factor SOX9 is expressed by normal human melanocytes in vitro and in the skin in vivo and that over-expression of SOX9 decreases the proliferation of mouse and human melanoma cells. Furthermore, SOX9 appears to be potentially useful in inducing skin pigmentation and may increase the sensitivity of melanoma cells to retinoic acid. These results suggest that SOX9 treatment in combination with retinoic acid may be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating melanoma. The technology also has cosmetic applications and may be used to develop novel gene therapy-based treatment for pigmentary disorders.

Further R&D Needed:
Pursuit of gene therapy and pharmacological activation (e.g. using a DP1 agonist) as approaches for treatment of melanoma and/or modulating skin pigmentation.

R&D Status:
Pre-clinical in vivo validation of SOX9 efficacy for treating melanomas in a mouse model has been completed.

IP Status:
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/963,280 filed 03 Aug. 2007

Value Proposition--Solution:

• Ability to induce skin pigmentation and treat various skin disorders, such as melanoma and vitiligo.
• Potential therapeutic and cosmetic applications for treating pigmentary disease
• Ability to develop a novel gene therapy based treatment for melanoma

Contact Information:
John D. Hewes, Ph.D.
NCI Technology Transfer Center
Phone: 301-435-3121
E-mail: Hewesj@mail.nih.gov

Reference:  #680 SB

Posted 07/16/2008