Gene Expression Profiles That Predict Ovarian Cancer Patient Response to Chemotherapy and Patient Survival
Background:
The National Cancer Institute
Cell and Cancer Biology Branch is seeking statements of capability
or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to
further develop, evaluate, or commercialize pro-angiogenic
biomarkers. By targeting tumor angiogenesis, this technology
provides methods to diagnose ovarian cancer in its early stages
utilizing a gene profile that is indicative of patient survival.
The technology is also available for exclusive or non-exclusive
licensing.
Ovarian cancer is a poor prognosis disease that remains the most
lethal of all gynecologic malignancies. Warning symptoms do not
occur until the tumor has already spread beyond the ovary,
resulting in diagnosis at an advanced stage. As a result, there is
a poor patient prognosis with only 15% of women possessing advanced
stage disease surviving for five years. Despite an initial clinical
response of 80% to surgery and chemotherapy, most patients
experience tumor recurrence within two years of treatment. The
overwhelming majority of these patients will eventually develop a
chemoresistant disease and die. Although most subjects die within
two years of diagnosis, there is a subset of patients that will
develop a chronic form of ovarian cancer and may survive five years
or more with treatment. A majority of women who die of ovarian
cancer will have ovarian epithelial carcinomas.
Technology:
Unlike other biomarkers that are
determined from discrete patient groups at either end of the
survival spectrum, this profile is based upon expressed genes in
late stage, high-grade papillary serous ovarian tumors. This
predictive patient survival profile is based upon the theory that
gene expression for advanced late stage ovarian cancer is more
likely to develop aggressive, recurrent disease.
The new technology incorporates two gene signatures that can
predict patient response to chemotherapy. One gene signature can
predict whether a patient will initially respond to standard
platinum-paclitaxel chemotherapy, but will relapse within six
months of completing treatment. A second gene signature identifies
patients who will show no response to therapy. This methodology may
enable clinicians to identify patients who may be candidates for
additional and/or novel chemotherapy drugs, and effectively choose
appropriate cancer treatment. A unique feature of this signature is
its derivation from pure, micro-dissected isolates of ovarian tumor
cells, rather than un-dissected tissue. By utilizing this approach,
the resulting gene list is specific to the cell type that causes
the disease.
R&D Status:
Pre-clinical
IP Status:
U.S. Provisional Applications filed in February and July, 2007
Value
Proposition--Solution:
- Method to prognose ovarian cancer and likelihood of aggressive,
recurrent ovarian cancer
- Method to predict patient survival with advanced stage ovarian
cancer
- Method to determine ovarian patient sensitivity to
chemotherapeutic agents
- Diagnostic tool to aid clinicians in determining appropriate
cancer treatment
Related
Publication(s):
Mok et al., Advanced Cancer
Research, 2007, 96:1-22.
Contact
Information:
John D. Hewes, Ph.D., NCI
Technology Transfer Center
Phone: 301-435-3121
E-mail: Hewesj@mail.nih.gov
Reference: #587 AC
Posted 12/06/2007