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