APTAMER-CONTAINING COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TARGETING ESELECTIN
Market: Inflammatory diseases affect millions of people in the United States. For example, 1.3 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis; 81 million Americans suffer from atherosclerosis or some other form of cardiovascular disease; and 25.8 million Americans suffer from diabetes. Additionally, cancer is also an inflammatory disease.
Competitors and Current Problems: Currently, anti-inflammatory drugs (steroids and NSAIDs) do not specifically target local inflammation sites. The ability to target drug delivery locally would improve the effectiveness of therapeutics while minimizing the drug exposure of normal tissues.
The Technology: Researchers have identified and isolated a nucleic acid aptamer that binds tightly to E-selectin. E-selectin is expressed by endothelial cells exclusively in response to inflammation. The aptamer binds to E-selectin with high affinity and specificity. Thus, the aptamer can be used to target delivery of therapeutics and imaging contrast agents for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cancer. The E-selectin aptamer itself also shows promise as an anti-inflamatory agent itself.
Keywords: E-selectin; inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer; contrast agents
UTHealth Ref. No.: 2010-0007
Inventors: Gorenstein et al.
Patent Status: Issued U.S. Patent 8,658,614
License Available: world-wide; exclusive or non-exclusive
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