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Novel Diagnostic & Prognostic Markers & Therapeutic Targets for melanoma (JHU Ref 4578)
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The incidence of melanoma is increasing at the highest rate for any form of cancer in the United States and the current lifetime risk in the US is 1 in 68. Presently there are few effective systemic therapies to treat advanced stages of melanoma and the key to improved survival in all affected individuals remains early diagnosis and treatment. Currently used methods for monitoring disease often reveal only grossly-detectable disease, which can be difficult to treat. There are no tests to accurately predict patient outcome for early stage disease and no blood tests that readily indicate disease recurrence/progression.
JHU researchers have recently screened human melanoma cell lines from varying stages of malignant progression in order to identify molecular markers of tumor onset and progression. A series of genes were identified whose expression correlates with melanoma progression and invasion and the most highly upregulated melanoma progression marker is a secreted protein that is detectable in the circulating blood. This invention may allow for earlier detection of disease recurrence/progression and earlier treatment in patients with known previous diagnosis of melanoma and those at high risk for the development of melanoma.
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Inventors
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Rhoda Alani, M.D.; Byungwoo Ryu, Ph.D.
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Keywords
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Diagnostic, antibody, assay, detection, elisa, marker, therapeutic, angiogenesis, antibody, cancer, melanoma
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Patents
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Patent pending
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Reference
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1. Mockenhaupt, M. et al. Evidence of involvement of CXC-chemokines in proliferation of cultivated human melanocytes. Int J Mol Med 12, 597-601 (2003). 2. Dhawan, P. & Richmond, A. Role of CXCL1 in tumorigenesis of melanoma. J Leukoc Biol 72, 9-18 (2002). 3. Payne, A.S. & Cornelius, L.A. The role of chemokines in melanoma tumor growth and metastasis. J Invest Dermatol 118, 915-22 (2002). 4. Middleman, B.R., Friedman, M., Lawson, D.H., DeRose, P.B. & Cohen, C. Melanoma growth stimulatory activity in primary malignant melanoma: prognostic significance. Mod Pathol 15, 532-7 (2002). 5. Browning, D.D., Diehl, W.C., Hsu, M.H., Schraufstatter, I.U. & Ye, R.D. Autocrine regulation of interleukin-8 production in human monocytes. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 279, L1129-36 (2000). 6. Wang, D. et al. MGSA/GRO-mediated melanocyte transformation involves induction of Ras expression. Oncogene 19, 4647-59 (2000). 7. Haghnegahdar, H. et al. The tumorigenic and angiogenic effects of MGSA/GRO proteins in melanoma. J Leukoc Biol 67, 53-62 (2000). 8. Tettelbach, W., Nanney, L., Ellis, D., King, L. & Richmond, A. Localization of MGSA/GRO protein in cutaneous lesions. J Cutan Pathol 20, 259-66 (1993). 9. Richmond, A. & Thomas, H.G. Melanoma growth stimulatory activity: isolation from human melanoma tumors and characterization of tissue distribution. J Cell Biochem 36, 185-98 (1988).
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Commercial Uses
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This invention may provide a simple and sensitive diagnostic/prognostic blood test to screen for melanoma onset/progression. In addition, many of these tumor markers may also be functionally significant for disease onset/progression and are likely to be relevant and drugable targets for the development of novel melanoma-specific therapeutics.
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Goal
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Johns Hopkins University is seeking licensees for this technology
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Stage of Development
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Discovery
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Applicable Categories
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Biological Sciences
» Diagnostics
Biological Sciences
» Therapeutics
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Contact
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Jacqueline Walker
The Johns Hopkins University
100 North Charles Street, 5th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Email: jwalke50@jhmi.edu
Phone:410-516-8300
Fax: 410-516-4411
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