Use of Cripto-1 as a Biomarker for Neurodegenerative Disease and Method of Inhibiting Progression Thereof
Description of Invention:
Cripto-1 is a gene that is currently thought to play an important role in several cancers, and is being developed in clinical trials as a cancer therapeutic. Presented in this invention is another use of Cripto-1 as a biomarker and possible therapeutic target for a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including NeuroAIDS, Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD) and encephalitis. Cripto-1 and concomitant protein expression appears to be overexpressed by 20-fold or more in the brains of macaque monkeys and humans afflicted with NeuroAIDS. This expression is confined to neurons related to neurodegeneration. Inhibition of Cripto-1 may be associated with inhibiting the progression of these diseases via a disclosed method for inhibiting the expression or downstream signaling pathways mediated by Cripto-1. This inhibition can be achieved through the expression of various inhibitory oligonucleotides. Additionally, the development of antibodies against Cripto-1 has already been achieved for the detection of Cripto-1 in human pathological specimens.
It is estimated that by 2050, 14 million Americans will suffer from AD, representing national annual costs for caring and due to productivity lost of approximately $160 billion. Despite active research in this area, there remains urgent need to identify differentially expressed genes in and to develop methods for detecting neurodegenerative disease through assaying expression levels of specific genes. Currently, there are no drugs directed at inhibiting Cripto-1 as a therapeutic agent for AD or other neurodegenerative diseases. This invention holds the promise of market opportunities through pursuing development of Cripto-1 as a biomarker for diagnosis of and possible target for therapeutic intervention of these diseases.
Inventors:
David S. Salomon (NCI) et al.
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-075-2003/0 --
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/508,750 filed 03 Oct 2003
PCT Application No. PCT/US04/32649 filed 01 Oct 2004, which published as WO 2005/033341 on 14 Apr 2005
Relevant Publication:
CL Parish et al., "Cripto as a target for improving embryonic stem cell-based therapy in Parkinson's disease," Stem Cells 2005 Apr; 23(4):471-476. [PubMed abs.]
HB Adkins et al., "Antibody blockade of the Cripto CFC domain suppresses tumor cell growth in vivo," J Clin Invest. 2003 Aug 15; 112(4): 575-587 [PubMed abs.]
Licensing Status: Available for non-exclusive or exclusive licensing.
Collaborative Research Opportunity:
The National Cancer Institute, Mammary Biology and Tumorigenesis Laboratory, is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize this technology. Please contact Jeffrey Hildesheim, Ph.D. at (301) 435-1569 or hildesheimj@mail.nih.gov for more information.
Portfolios: Internal Medicine Central Nervous System
Central Nervous System -Therapeutics-Neurological Therapeutics-Alzheimer Central Nervous System -Therapeutics-Neurological Therapeutics-Other Central Nervous System -Diagnostics-In Vitro-Antibody Based Central Nervous System -Therapeutics Central Nervous System -Diagnostics Internal Medicine-Therapeutics
For Additional Information Please Contact: Michelle A. Booden Ph.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301)451-7337
Email: boodenm@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
