Novel therapeutic strategy for ankylosing spondylitis and novel preventative strategy for fibrotic scar formation following spinal cord injury

Case ID:
C16508

Unmet Need / Invention Novelty: Current treatments for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and spinal cord injury (SCI) fail to halt progression of AS or prevent the fibrotic scar formation following SCI respectively. There is an unmet need to develop therapeutic strategies that bring disease remission in AS and prevent fibrotic scar formation following SCI.


Technical Details: A researcher at Johns Hopkins has uncovered a novel therapeutic strategy for AS and SCI based on observations of chondrogenesis mediating progression of AS through heterotopic ossification (HO) and SCI recovery in neonatal mice respectively, both of which implicate TGF-β activity. The strategy consists of inhibiting TGF-β activity to inhibit aberrant cartilage formation and/or osteoclast resorption in AS or inhibit fibrotic scar formation following SCI. In proof of concept in vivo studies, inhibition of TGF-β activity inhibited fibrotic scar formation following SCI in mice.


Value Proposition:

  • Novel treatment for aberrant cartilage formation and/or osteoclast resorption in AS
  • Novel preventative strategy that inhibits fibrotic scar formation following SCI
  • Broadly applicable to other disorders characterized by HO and/or TGF-β activity

 

Looking for Partners to: Develop & commercialize as a novel therapeutic strategy for AS and novel preventative strategy for fibrotic scar formation following SCI.


Stage of Development: Pre-Clinical

                                                               

Data Availability: in vitro and in vivo

 

Inventors: Xu Cao

Patent Status: Pending PCT application

Publication(s): Yu T, Zhang J, Zhu W, et al. Chondrogenesis mediates progression of ankylosing spondylitis through heterotopic ossification. Bone Res. 2021;9(1):19. Published 2021 Mar 17. doi:10.1038/s41413-021-00140-6

Patent Information:
Title App Type Country Serial No. Patent No. File Date Issued Date Expire Date Patent Status
COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING DISORDERS CHARACTERIZED WITH TGF-BETA ACTIVITY PCT: Patent Cooperation Treaty United States 18/033,746   4/25/2023     Pending
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For Information, Contact:
Sahil Aggarwal
sahil.aggarwal@jhu.edu
410-614-0300
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