| WARF: P04264US |  |
| Polymer Based Nano-Carriers for the Solubilization and Delivery of Hydrophobic Drugs |
| INVENTORS | • | Glen Kwon, Afsaneh Lavasanifar |
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners interested in developing a less toxic formulation of CsA.
OVERVIEW
In addition to being the leading immunosuppressive agent used to reduce the rejection of transplanted organs, Cyclosporine A (CsA) is one of the most effective modulators of drug resistance in cancer treatment. However, acute and chronic toxicities associated with CsA administration have limited its clinical effectiveness in cancer patients.
THE INVENTION
UW-Madison researchers have developed a new, less toxic, formulation of CsA. They encapsulated CsA in poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone)(PEO-b-PCL) micelles. Micelles are unique among drug carrier systems due to their nanoscopic dimensions, hydrophilic shell and hydrophobic core. Encapsulating CsA in PEO-b-PCL micelles results in increased control of drug release, lower systemic toxicity, improved solubility and stability of CsA, and better targeting of CsA to its site of activity.
APPLICATIONS
- Treating cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases, including transplant rejection
KEY BENEFITS
- Micelle compositions are easy to store and deliver, circulate in the blood for a long time, are excreted by the kidneys at low levels and can be targeted to tumors.
- These PEO-b-PCL micelles are composed of high molecular weight (6,000-29,000 Daltons) copolymers, resulting in less aggregation of micelle particles.
- Drug-loaded micelles have an average diameter of 60-125 nm, allowing them to better escape immune detection and avoid clearance, leading to enhanced blood concentration.
- PEO-b-PCL is less toxic than Cremophor EL, which is commonly used for drug solubilization.
- Biologically active agents other than CsA can be loaded into PEO-b-PCL micelles.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For More Information About the Inventors
Intellectual Property Status
Tech Fields
Drug Discovery - Drug delivery
CONTACT INFORMATION
For current licensing status, please contact our team at
licensing@warf.org
or phone 608.262.4924. (Clicking this link will open a contact form in a popup window. If you have problems viewing the form, try disabling your popup blocker software.)
WARF: A Leader in Technology Transfer Since 1925
Since its founding as the patenting and licensing arm of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, WARF has been working with business and industry to transform university research into products that benefit society. WARF intellectual property managers and licensing staff members are leaders in the field of university-based technology transfer. They are familiar with the intricacies of patenting, have worked with researchers in relevant disciplines, understand industries and markets, and have negotiated innovative licensing strategies to meet the individual needs of business clients.
The University of Wisconsin and WARF -
A Single Location to Accelerate Translational Development of New Drugs
The UW-Madison has the integrative capabilities to complete many key components of the drug development cycle, from discovery through clinical trials. As one of the top research universities in the world, and one of the two best-funded universities in the country, UW-Madison offers state-of-the-art facilities unmatched by most public universities.
These include the Small Molecule Screening Facility at the UW Comprehensive Cancer Center; the Zeeh Pharmaceutical Experiment Station, which provides consulting and laboratory services for developing formulations and studying solubility, stability and more; the Waisman Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility; the Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, which provides UW-Madison with a complete translational research facility; and soon, the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, made up of innovative private and public interdisciplinary biomedical research institutes. The highly qualified experts at these facilities are ready to work with you to create a library of candidates for drug development.
Since its founding as the patenting and licensing arm of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, WARF has been working with business and industry to transform university research into products that benefit society. WARF intellectual property managers and licensing staff members are leaders in the field of university-based technology transfer. They are familiar with the intricacies of patenting, have worked with researchers in relevant disciplines, understand industries and markets, and have negotiated innovative licensing strategies to meet the individual needs of business clients.
The University of Wisconsin and WARF -
A Single Location to Accelerate Translational Development of New Drugs
The UW-Madison has the integrative capabilities to complete many key components of the drug development cycle, from discovery through clinical trials. As one of the top research universities in the world, and one of the two best-funded universities in the country, UW-Madison offers state-of-the-art facilities unmatched by most public universities.
These include the Small Molecule Screening Facility at the UW Comprehensive Cancer Center; the Zeeh Pharmaceutical Experiment Station, which provides consulting and laboratory services for developing formulations and studying solubility, stability and more; the Waisman Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility; the Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, which provides UW-Madison with a complete translational research facility; and soon, the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, made up of innovative private and public interdisciplinary biomedical research institutes. The highly qualified experts at these facilities are ready to work with you to create a library of candidates for drug development.
