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BACKGROUND: Therapeutic options for patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) are limited, and in most cases ineffective, or with a limited period of effectiveness. Relapse of the disease often occurs and patients acquire resistance, not only to the drug used, but to other drugs as well. Moreover, a specific marker for CLL does not exist on the market today. Patients ‘wait and see’ if the symptoms progress in the early stages of the disease before a diagnosis is made. Instead of being treated immediately, the disease could lurk for years.
TECHNOLOGY: The novel technology developed by UCSD is a way to diagnose and treat CLL. UCSD researchers have demonstrated an enhanced expression of the phosphodiesterase isoform 7B (PDE7B) in CLL patients. In contrast, the UCSD investigators fine that expression of several other phosphodiesterase isoforms is significantly decreased in CLL patients as compared to normal subjects. These findings for PDE isoforms have not previously been reported in blood cells and may represent novel markers for the diagnosis, prognosis and choice of therapies of CLL. Moreover, agents able to modulate the expression or activity levels of PDE isoforms could be useful for the treatment of CLL.
BENEFITS:
- Potential diagnostics for CLL by monitoring expression levels of PDE7B and other PDE isoforms
- Potential CLL therapy by inhibiting PDE7B, resulting in apoptosis of CLL lymphocytes
- Potential CLL therapy by reversing the ratio of expression of PDE7B to that of other PDE isoforms whose expression is prominently decreased in CLL
FEATURES:
- PDE7B mRNA and protein levels are increased in CLL patients
- mRNA and protein levels for multiple other PDE isoforms are decreased in CLL patients
- Potential therapeutic agents comprise PDE7B inhibitors, antagonists, and antibodies
MARKET POTENTIAL/APPLICATIONS:
There are approximately 300,000 cases of leukemia in the world*. CLL is the most common form of leukemia in the western world, and the number of patients who are affected is growing by 1.9% per year. In the US alone, the CLL market was worth $153 million in 2005**.
*International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); *The Gale Group
DEVELOPMENT STATUS:
This technology is offered exclusively or nonexclusively in the US and/or worldwide territories. A commercial sponsor for potential future research is sought.
PCT: WO/2007/067946
UCSD RESEARCHER:
Dr. Paul A. Insel, M.D., is Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine at UCSD.
TECHNOLOGY-RELEVANT PAPERS AND WEB LINKS:
http://www-insel.ucsd.edu/index.html
Case Number: SD2005-082
Keywords: cancer, therapy, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, CLL, lymphoma, diagnostic, diagnosis, treatment, drug, cAMP, phosphodiesterase, PDE, PDE7B.
INQUIRIES TO: invent@ucsd.edu
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