Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Government Funding Lapse
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

Technology ID
TAB-4061

Novel Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptides as Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers and Inhibitors of Amyloid Formation

E-Numbers
E-197-2022-0
Lead Inventors
Liu, Qing Rong
Co-Inventors
Zhu, Min
Earley, Josephine
Applications
Therapeutics
Therapeutic Areas
Oncology
Development Stages
Pre-clinical (in vivo)
Lead IC
NIA
ICs
NIDA
NIA

Over 34 million Americans are living with diabetes. An estimated 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellites (T2DM). Amyloidosis due to aggregation of amyloid-β is key pathogenic event in AD, whereas aggregation of mature islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP37) in human islet leads to β-cell dysfunction. A hallmark feature of T2DM is the accumulation of islet amyloid polypeptide fibrils in pancreatic islets. Such accumulations form amyloid plaques and cause apoptosis of -cells of islets. 

Researchers at NIA used a bioinformatic and molecular biological approaches to identify two novel islet amyloid polypeptide isoforms: IAPPβ, encoding an elongated propeptide of the conventional IAPP and a non-aggregating IAPPγ, which is processed to an unrelated mature IAPP25 instead of IAPP37. They developed a quantitative selective reaction monitoring (SRM) proteomic assay that determined the isoform peptide levels in human clinical plasma and CSF from individuals with early AD were significantly reduced. Further, mature IAPP25 derived from IAPPγ isoform inhibited fibrillation of IAPP37 and amyloid-β efficiently in vitro.

The novel IAPPβ and IAPPγ isoforms could potentially be developed as peptidyl therapeutics to counteract with amyloid forming IAPP37 and amyloid-β in treatments of diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. These isoforms could also serve as blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. The NIA seeks co-development partners and/or licensees for the further development of these therapeutics and biomarkers.

Competitive Advantages:

  • Peptide based anti-amyloid medicine
  • Potential market applications for neurodegenerative diseases

 

Commercial Applications:

  • Therapy for amyloid diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
  • Potential to be developed as peptidyl therapeutics 
  • Clinical diagnostic blood-derived biomarkers for AD

 

Request More Info

Licensing Contacts
Jinnah, Zarpheen
zarpheen.jinnah@nih.gov

Patents

  • US
    Provisional (PRV) 63/417,582
    Filed on 2022-10-19
    Status: Expired
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty
    (PCT) PCT/US2023/077173
    Filed on 2023-10-18
    Status: Expired

Publications

Collaborations

  • Licensing
  • Collaboration

Collaboration Description

  • The National Institute on Aging (NIA) seeks licensing and/or co-development research collaboration partners for the further development of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) diagnostic biomarkers and peptidyl therapeutics for amyloid related diseases.
Date Published