Search Technologies

Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have discovered a novel therapeutic strategy of using one or more selective estrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs), which may include the FDA-approved drug, Tamoxifen, for treating retinal degenerative diseases, like retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related degeneration (AMD). SERMs exert their specific protection on photoreceptor degeneration likely by inhibiting microglial activation.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have developed a method to improve the function of therapeutic engineered T cells used for Adoptive T Cell Therapy (ACT) for various cancers and diseases through the co-expression of Interleukin-15 (IL-15) and IL-21 by a flexible linker to the cell membrane. Researchers at the NCI seek licensing for this invention.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) developed improved monospecific and bicistronic chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting CD19 and CD20. Importantly, CD19 and CD20 are highly expressed in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other B-cell lymphomas. These improved CARs can be useful in treating these diseases. NCI is seeking parties interested in the co-development or licensing of this invention for immunotherapy.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have developed a glypican-1 (GPC1) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells using short immunoglobin subclass 4 (IgG4) hinge sequences that are highly potent against GPC1-expressing tumors. NCI seeks research co-development partners and/or licensees to advance the development of GPC1-IgG4 hinge CARs for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other GPC1-expressing tumors.

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.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) seeks research co-development partners and/or licensees for single domain antibodies targeting program death ligand 1 (PD-L1) for treatment of PD-L1-expressing cancers.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have developed a method by which memory T cells can be generated from other T cell populations using overexpression of the transcription factor c-Myb. Importantly, these reprogrammed memory T cells show increased proliferative and survival capacity. This strategy could also potentially generate anti-tumor T cells with improved viability and therapeutic efficacy for adoptive ACT. Researchers at the NCI seek licensing and/or co-development research collaborations for this invention.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) seeks research co-development partners and/or licensees for a method of direct identification of neoantigen-specific TCRs from tumor specimens by high-throughput single-cell sequencing.

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.