Intellectual Property Office

Non-Confidential Disclosures

"Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment"

PSU Invention Disclosure No. 99-2184

Field of the Invention:

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Inventors:

M.T. Cantorna

Patent status:

U.S. Patent Application filed 10/20/04 (Serial No. 10/969,394-Pending) Foreign application filed

Background:

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) are immune mediated diseases of unknown etiology affecting the gastrointestinal tract. One in 1000 people within North America and Europe is affected with one of the two types of IBD - ulcerative colitis or Chron’s disease. Current standard treatment for IBD includes short-term, high dose and long-term, low dose prednisone use. Prednisone and similar corticosteroid therapies result in a decreased bone mineral density and can result in higher risks for vertebral fracture

Invention description:

A naturally occurring substance has been linked to IBD and researchers at Penn State University have pursued this relationship as a treatment for the disorder. They found that homologues of this naturally occurring substance can be used as potent immunosuppressants and that their immunosuppressant properties can be used to control the symptoms of IBD. Developing this technology as a treatment for IBD could prove to be very effective in patients with either ulcerative colitis or Chron’s disease while this treatment would also allow its patients to maintain bone density. Researchers at Penn State University have studied this potential use of this natural substance’s homologues in mice models. The research was specifically done in Interluken-10 knockout mice. These animals were used in the study as they develop symptoms of IBD within 5-8 weeks of life. The Interluken-10 knockout mice that were not supplemented with the compound had a dramatically decreased survival rate - 58% survival rate at week nine - as compared to both the supplemented mice and their wild type counterparts all of which were alive at week nine. The researchers concluded that a deficiency in this substance exacerbated the symptoms of IBD and that treatment with the substance for as little as two weeks could ameliorate symptoms of IBD in mice. This initial, innovative research could be pursued by a potential licensee to detail the link between this naturally occurring substance and IBD to develop a therapy for humans suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Contact:

Mr. Matthew D. Smith
Sr. Licensing Officer
Intellectual Property Office
The Pennsylvania State University
113 Technology Center
University Park, PA 16802-7000
Phone: (814) 863-1122
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail: mds126@psu.edu