Search Technologies

The National Cancer Institute seek parties interested in in-licensing and/or collaborative research to develop and commercialize cell labeling, cell tracking, cell trafficking, cell-based therapy, and PET imaging for cancer.

The Hippo signaling pathway is one of the most frequently altered pathways in human cancer. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have developed a genetically encoded peptide inhibitor of the Hippo signaling pathway members YAP1/TAZ-TEAD, to dissect and study the specific TEAD-downstream regulatory gene expression networks of cell proliferation, tissue homeostasis, and stem cell functions in different cell types and pathologies. The DNA construct encoding this inhibitor may be delivered to cells using lentivirus, adenovirus, or adeno-associated virus, and is a valuable research tool. NCI seeks licensees for this peptide inhibitor and the encoding DNA construct.

Surgery specialists from Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), developed peptide hydrogel compositions and methods to suture blood vessels during microsurgery. The hydrogels particularly benefit surgeons in whole tissue transplant procedures. The NCI seeks co-development research collaborations for further development of this technology.

Recent research has demonstrated that neoantigen-specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) can be isolated from a cancer patient’s lymphocytes. These TCRs may be used to engineer populations of tumor-reactive T cells for cancer immunotherapies. Obtaining sequences of these functional TCRs is a critical initial step in preparing this type of personalized cancer treatment; however, current methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have developed a rapid and robust method of isolating the sequences of mutation-specific TCRs to alleviate these issues; they seek licensing and/or co-development research collaborations for the development of a method for isolating the sequences of tumor-reactive TCRs. For collaboration opportunities, please contact Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D. at sar@nih.gov.

Researchers at the NCI have developed a method of genetically engineering lymphocytes to expressed elevated levels of cytokine proteins. This technology is useful for improving cellular adoptive immunotherapies to treat a range of infectious diseases and cancers.

The National Cancer Institute is seeking parties interested in licensing human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind to death receptor 4 ("DR4"). The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its functional receptors, DR4 and DR5, have been recognized as promising targets for cancer treatment.

There is a need to develop compounds that can sensitize cancer cells to apoptosis inducing ligands, such as poly I:C and TRAIL. In collaboration with the University of Arizona, NCI investigators discovered a series of compounds in the withanolide family that synergistically enhance the response of cancer cells to treatment with an apoptosis-inducing ligand. The NCI seeks licensing and/or co-development research collaborations for development of withanolide E analogues for the treatment of cancer.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that typically affects the lungs. Current therapies include a panel of antibiotics given over a range of 6-9 months. As a result of the expense of treatment, the extended timeframe needed for effective treatment, and the scarcity of medicines in some developing countries, patient compliance with TB treatment is very low and results in multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). There remains a need for a faster, more effective treatment for TB. NCI researchers seek licensing and/or co-development of peptide inhibitors of STAT3 and IL-10 developed to treat bacterial infections such as tuberculosis. See aslo: NIH inventions E-164-2007 and E-167-2010

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies that specifically target Signaling Lymphocyte Activation Molecule F7 (SLAMF7) are strong therapeutic candidates for patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM). SLAMF7 is highly expressed on the malignant plasma cells that constitute MM. The expression of SLAMF7 by MM cells and lack of expression on nonhematologic cells makes SLAMF7 an attractive therapeutic target for MM. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have invented anti- SLAMF7 CAR constructs that allow genetically-modified T cells to express both the anti-SLAMF7 antibody and a suicide gene that allows T cells to specifically recognize and kill SLAMF7-expressing cells as well as allow for on-demand and reliable elimination of anti-SLAMF7 CAR T cells. NCI seeks licensing and/or co-development partners for this invention.