Intellectual Property Office

Non-Confidential Disclosures

A Selenium Containing Derivative of PBIT to Therapeutically Target Cancer

PSU Inv. Disc. No 2007-3335

Field of the Invention:

Cancer therapy and prevention

Inventors:

Gavin P. Robertson, Subbarao Madhunapantula, Dhimant Desai and Shantu Amin

Invention status:

Patent Pending

Background:

Although the PI3 and MAP kinase pathways been implicated in many cancers, including those of the skin, breast, brain, ovary, colon, lung, prostate and connective tissue, there are currently no clinically effective inhibitors available to counteract these pathways and effects on proliferation and apoptosis. Individual agents targeting these pathways have been identified but suffer from a variety of complications ranging from insolubility to toxicity, which render them unsuitable for clinical use.

Invention description:

We have developed a novel synthetic chemotherapeutic agent called PBISe, which is effective at reducing cancer development, from an existing compound (PBIT) that has minimal effect on cancer cells. Furthermore, additional novelty stems from the observation that PBISe has new and novel functions by inhibiting MAP and PI3 kinase signaling making it effective at treating a wide variety of cancers. The compound is water-soluble and has (in vivo) evidence of tumor inhibition at dosages significantly lower than comparable compounds. Our preliminary in vivo toxicology studies have found the toxicity of these compounds to be negligible.

Advantages:

• Compound is 10X more effective at killing cancer cell than the parent compound.
  
• Agent inhibits MAP and PI3 kinase signaling making it effective at treating a wide variety of cancers.
  
• Optimized for maximal inhibition and prevention of tumor development.
  
• Compound kills cancer cells via inhibition of cell proliferation and by promoting apoptosis.
  
• Compounds are effective against cancers of the skin, breast, brain, ovary, colon, lung, connective tissue (sarcomas) and prostate.
• Compound exhibit minimal toxicity at efficacious dosages.
  

Contact:

James F. Kolonay, Ph.D.
Technology Licensing Officer
Intellectual Property Office
113 Technology Center
The Pennsylvania State Univ.
University Park, PA 16802-7000
Phone: (814) 863-7070
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail:jfk11@psu.edu