Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Materials & Chemicals
Materials Chemicals
New Compounds for Treating High Blood Cholesterol and More
WARF: P150140US02

Inventors: Weiping Tang, Xiaoxun Li

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners interested in developing indole compounds that could be used to modulate the secretion of PCSK9 and IL-17.
Overview
Indole is one of the most abundant heterocycles in pharmaceuticals and bioactive natural products, such as indometacin, a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug, and vincristine, a natural product used to treat a number of types of cancers.

Given the importance of indoles, much effort has been devoted to preparing them from a variety of starting materials. However, inefficiency, low selectivity and low yield remain a problem for polysubstituted indoles or when the indole is in a complex polycyclic system.
The Invention
UW–Madison researchers have now developed a method using a rhodium-containing catalyst to make indole compounds, specifically cyclopropyl indoles and cyclohepta[b] indoles. The compounds may be developed into new pharmaceuticals to treat a variety of conditions.
Applications
  • Potential therapeutics for treating high cholesterol, inflammation and other autoimmune disorders
Key Benefits
  • Promising drug potential
  • Efficient synthesis
Stage of Development
The compounds have been advanced through Eli Lilly’s Open Innovation Program and have generated positive data.

The development of this technology was supported by WARF Accelerator. WARF Accelerator selects WARF's most commercially promising technologies and provides expert assistance and funding to enable achievement of commercially significant milestones. WARF believes that these technologies are especially attractive opportunities for licensing.
Additional Information
For More Information About the Inventors
For current licensing status, please contact Rafael Diaz at [javascript protected email address] or 608-960-9847

WARF