Aphios
Corporation License IP from Louisiana State University for
Chronic Iinflammation and Organ Transplatation Rejection
March
17, 2009
— Aphios Corporation
today announced securing an exclusive license from Louisiana
State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, LA
for intellectual property and know-how for treating chronic
inflammatory diseases and organ rejection caused by transplantation
mediated organ stress.
Scientists at Louisiana State University have discovered
that bryostatin-1, a potent PKC modulator at nanomolar concentrations,
activates protein kinase C-? (PKC-?) causing a near complete
blockade of leukocyte (white blood cell) infiltration. This
activation and therapeutic response can be achieved by injecting
bryostatin 1 directly into chronically inflamed tissues,
treating the skin with bryostatin-1, or perfusing organs
with bryostatin-1 prior to transplantation and cold storage.
This invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions, particularly
pharmaceutical compositions comprising a bryostatin-1, other
bryostatins and substituted derivatives of bryostatins for
use in treating inflammation, and for use in combating arteriosclerosis,
diseases of the cardiovascular system and the central nervous
system, prior to and following organ transplantation, and
ischemia [United States Patent Pending].
Dr. J. Steve Alexander, lead scientist from the Louisiana
State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport for
this invention states that “Neutrophil or activated
leukocyte mediated tissue injury is an extremely important
aspect of both acute and chronic inflammatory disease processes.
Methods to reduce neutrophil infiltration could provide
important therapies in numerous diseases including stroke,
inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and atherosclerosis.
Thus the market opportunity for this product/technology
is both diverse and enormous.”
Aphios Corporation is developing improved nanotechnology
formulations of bryostatin 1 [US and International Patents],
which is more water-soluble than the potent anticancer drug
paclitaxel with its known formulation and manufacturing
difficulties. These nanotech formulations are being designed
to improve the therapeutic index of bryostatin 1. Aphios
also manufactures bryostatin 1 utilizing highly efficient
isolation and purification methods [US and International
Patents] and distributes bryostatin 1 through Sigma-Aldrich,
BioMol and a number of other vendors. Aphios plans to utilize
these nanoformulations in the development of this drug for
chronic inflammation, organ preservation and transplantation
rejection.
Aphios Corporation is a biotechnology company that is developing
enabling technology platforms and enhanced therapeutic products
for health maintenance, disease prevention and the treatment
of certain cancers, infectious diseases and CNS disorders.
Research leading to this invention was in part funded by
the American Heart Association and the National Institutes
of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA (Grant No. NIH DK-43785). The
content is solely the responsibility of the authors and
does not necessarily represent the official views of the
American Heart Association and the National Institutes of
Health.
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