Out-licensing

Discovery that lasonolide A may be used as a new reagent for inducing premature chromosome condensation in non-dividing cells; and a novel anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic agent for cancer treatment

Lasonolide A is a natural product initially isolated from an extract of the shallow water Caribbean marine sponge. The chemical structure of lasonolide A was identified in 2002, and it was chemically synthesized in 2007. The current invention discloses the discovery that lasonolide A may be used as a new reagent for inducing premature chromosome condensation in non-dividing cells; and a novel anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic agent for cancer treatment. Currently, it is difficult to analyze the cytogenetic composition of the genome of non-dividing cells because the chromosomes are loosely distributed in the nucleus, lasonolide A may be useful for performing cytogenetic studies in cells by inducing premature chromosome condensation without inducing mitosis. In addition, the invention also reveals that lasonolide A inhibits cancer cell motility. As such, lasonolide A may be used as an anti-cancer agent by itself or in combination with other anti-cancer agents such as inhibitors of topoisomerases.

 

Applications: 

• a new reagent for inducing premature chromosome condensation in non-dividing cells
• a novel anti-cancer agent

 

Market: 
Cancer continues to be a burden to the public health of Americans. After heart disease, cancer is the most common cause of death in the United States. For 2008, it was estimated that about 565,650 Americans were expected to die of cancer. The incidence of cancer has been dropping over the years but it is estimated that over 1.4 million Americans would be diagnosed with cancer in 2008.  Therefore, there is a continued need for the development new therapies to effectively treat this disease.

 

 

Early Stage

U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/137,193 filed 28 Jul 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-247-2008/0-US-01)

 

Inventors: 
Yves G. Pommier (NCI) et al.

 

 

Licensees Sought: 
Available for licensing.

 

Collaborative Research Opportunity: 
The National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize Lasonolide Compounds as Reagents for Inducing Premature Chromosome Condensation and Methods of Treating Cancer.  Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.