Search Technologies

Antibodies that specifically recognize and bind to the unshed portion (“stalk”) of human mesothelin are strong therapeutic candidates because they maintain contact with the cancer cell for a longer duration than other anti-mesothelin antibodies that are currently available. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has developed such antibodies that specifically recognize and bind to the stalk of human mesothelin with high affinity. The NCI seeks licensing and/or co-development research collaborations to advance the development and commercialization of these antibodies.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) seeks research a co-development partner and/or licensees for applications utilizing the nanoparticle platform technology for delivery of cancer-specific microRNAs, particularly for therapeutic uses in surface cancers, such as mesothelioma.

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using tumor-specific T cells leads to complete tumor regression in some cancer patients. However, limiting the efficacy of this therapy is that T cells become functionally exhausted and have short half-lives after adoptive transfer. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have discovered a novel method to generate long-lived memory tumor-specific T cells with enhanced tumor clearance and persistence upon in vivo transfer. NCI is seeking parties interested in licensing and/or co-developing potassium hydroxy citrate to promote longevity and efficacy of tumor-specific T cells.

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.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have developed an invention describing the binding domain (G2BD) for the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Ube2G2 in the gp78 ubiqutin ligase protein. The invention involves modulating the interaction between the gp78 protein and the conjugating enzyme Ube2G2. Interruption of this interaction will block degradation from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), resulting in ER stress, unfolded protein response, and, ultimately, apoptosis in some cancer cells. The NCI seeks licensing and/or co-development partners for this invention.

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.

Natural products have long been considered a source of biologically active molecules against health disorders, including bone-loss related diseases. Cinnamolyoxy-mammeisin (CNM), can be isolated from Brazilian geopropolis and demonstrates anti-inflammatory activity. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in collaboration with researchers at the Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Brazil, have shown CNM also demonstrates inhibition of oral bone loss. This invention is available for licensing and/or co-development opportunities.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) seek research & co-development and/or licensees for a novel, ex vivo method by which stem cell-like memory T cells (Tscm) can be generated by stimulating naïve T cells in the presence of inhibitors of GSK-3beta, which are capable of activating the Wnt pathway. These Tscm cells, generated using GSK-3beta inhibitors, display enhanced survival and proliferation upon transfer, have multipotent capacity to generate all memory and effector T cell subsets, and show increased anti-tumor activity in a humanized mouse tumor model.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Vaccine Branch, seeks research co-development or licenses for a novel method of improving HIV vaccine efficacy by activating Ras signaling. Upregulating the Ras pathway can improve an HIV patient’s immune response to anti-retroviral vaccines.