Potential Compounds for the Prevention and Treatment of Skin Tumors

Background:
The Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH is seeking collaborative partners to further develop methods and pharmaceutical compounds for the prevention and treatment of skin tumors. In recent years an increase in exposure to UV light has contributed to the increase in incidence of skin diseases such as premalignant skin lesions. In the U.S. over 700,000 individuals suffer from superficial squamous and basal cell carcinoma. For several reasons, including toxicity, current treatments for these skin diseases are not satisfactory. Application for this technology would be in the prevention and treatment of skin tumors. The main advantages of the technology include:

• By inducing terminal differentiation, indole carbazole will specifically target tumor cells with reduced cytotoxicity.
• Topical application of hydroxylated aromatic protein cross-linking agents can be used to cause regression as well as prevent skin tumors.

Technology:
The Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH has developed methods to prevent and treat skin tumors by using two different classes of compounds. The first, indole carbazole, causes terminal differentiation of tumor cells by exploiting a normal physiologic pathway and can regress, as well as prevent, skin tumors. The second, hydroxylated aromatic protein cross-linking agents, can be applied topically and are useful for premalignant and malignant superficial neoplasias of the skin, as well as for the treatment of basal and squamous cell carcinomas.

Current State of Development:
The agents have demonstrated efficacy in cell culture on skin tumor cell lines and by topical administration in mouse models where tumor cell lines were grafted to a dermal site.

IP Status:

• U.S. Patent No. 5,610,185, issued 11 Mar 1997
• U.S. Patent Application No.10/445,251, filed 27 May 2003

Further R&D Required:
Preclinical and clinical development of the potential therapeutic compounds

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

Reference:  #200 LW

Updated 10/29/2007