WARF TECHNOLOGIES

Vitamin D is a highly potent regulator of calcium homeostasis and plays an established role in cellular differentiation. A recently discovered class of vitamin D analogs, the 19-nor-vitamin D compounds, shows a selective activity profile with high potency in inducing cellular differentiation and very low calcium mobilizing activity. These features make the 19-nor compounds potentially useful as therapeutic agents for a number of disorders.

UW-Madison researchers have developed a new vitamin D analog, 2-methylene-19-nor-1α-hydroxy-17-ene-homopregnacalciferol. This compound, a 2-methylene-19-nor-17-ene vitamin D analog, is characterized by a hydroxyl group at carbon 1, a methylene substituent at carbon 2, a double bond between carbons 17 and 20 and the elimination of carbons 23,24,25,26 and 27.

Compared to 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, the new analog exhibits relatively high binding to vitamin D receptors, very low intestinal calcium transport activity, and very low ability to mobilize calcium from bone. It also displays relatively high cell differentiation activity, making it potentially useful as an anti-cancer agent or a therapeutic agent for treating skin conditions.

• Potential anti-cancer agent, especially against leukemia, and colon, breast and prostate cancers
• Preventing or treating obesity and reduce body fat
• Treating skin diseases, such as psoriasis, as well as skin conditions such as wrinkles, slack skin, dry skin and insufficient sebum secretion
• Potential for treating immune disorders in humans, including multiple sclerosis, lupus, diabetes mellitus, host-versus-graft reaction and organ transplant rejection
• Prospective treatment for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and inflammatory bowel diseases
• Promising treatment for renal osteodystrophy
• Treating other disorders, including acne, alopecia and hypertension

For More Information About the Inventors

• Margaret Clagett-Dame

Tech Fields

• Therapeutics & Vaccines : Vitamin D