IP Update: UMass Medical School Licenses Technologies

Newswise — In recent weeks the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) has completed licensing agreements for technologies developed in several of its laboratories. The technologies are aimed at furthering research and therapies in cancer, obesity, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular function.

“These licenses represent the ongoing, important, contributions our faculty makes to the advancement of biomedical research aimed at curing human disease,” said James P. McNamara, PhD, executive director of the Office of Technology Management at UMMS. “It is our hope that the discoveries made in our labs will be advanced by industry and one day lead to better therapies for a range of human conditions.”

Licenses:

Oxford BioMedica, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on gene-based therapeutics and well known for their lentiviral-delivery systems, has exclusively licensed complementary technology developed by Michael R. Green, MD, PhD, the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator; professor of molecular medicine, biochemistry & molecular pharmacology and surgery. The licensed technology utilizes small molecule aptamers for regulating gene expression in vivo, results of which were previously published in Science. Oxford BioMedica plans to incorporate the aptamer-based technology into its platform of gene therapy products and delivery systems for the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Adenosine Therapeutics LLC of Virginia exclusively licensed the rights to U.S. patent 5,629,298, entitled “ Adenosine as a positive inotrop in the compromised heart”, invented by James G. Dobson Jr., PhD, professor of physiology and medicine. Dr. Dobson’s work involves therapeutically administering adenosine A2 receptor agonists to patients with ischemic, hypertrophied, hypoxic or otherwise compromised myocardiums. Through in-licensing, Adenosine Therapeutics has expanded their patent estate of adenosine-based therapeutics and methods for treating a range of human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Adenosine Therapeutics has since entered into a sublicense agreement with a major pharmaceutical company for a portion of the above-referenced patent rights.

Echelon Biosciences of Utah has obtained exclusive license rights to use GRP1 nucleic acids and encoded polypeptides, technology developed by Michael P. Czech, PhD, professor and chair of molecular medicine and professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology. GRP 1 binds to a key lipid component of the signaling pathway in cells that regulate the processing of insulin, glucose, and fat storage. Because GRP1 interacts with high affinity and specificity to a lipid signal, it is useful as a binding partner in biological assays. Echelon has developed unique assays and related research reagents using this important binding protein.

Another license for Dr. Czech’s technology was taken by CytRx Corporation of Los Angeles, Ca., a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing products primarily in the area of small molecules and ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi). The license covers several newly discovered drug targets that have demonstrated the ability to regulate insulin activity in fat cells. Decreased insulin activity is known to contribute to type 2 diabetes and other complications such as obesity. CytRx now plans to develop small molecule drugs based on these newly licensed targets.

The Eisai Research Institute of Boston obtained a non-exclusive license for a toll-like receptor binding assay developed by Douglas T. Golenbock, MD, professor of medicine and molecular genetics & microbiology; and Alberto Visintin, PhD, assistant professor of medicine. The assay, including biologic materials and related proteins, will be used for drug discovery and development.

The University of Massachusetts Medical School, one of the fastest growing academic health centers in the country, has built a reputation as a world-class research institution, consistently producing noteworthy advances in clinical and basic research. The Medical School attracts more than $174 million in research funding annually, 80 percent of which comes from federal funding sources. UMMS is the academic partner of UMass Memorial Health Care, the largest health care provider in Central Massachusetts. For more information visit http://www.umassmed.edu.