Office of Technology Transfer: Technology Abstract
Description of Invention: Tumor formation is the result of uncontrolled cellular growth and invasion. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a regulator of cell growth whose overexpression has been associated with several types of cancer (e.g., breast cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma). It has been shown that inhibition of PLK1 causes cell death (apoptosis) in tumor cells but not normal cells. This suggested that inhibiting PLK1 could be an effective treatment for cancer patients without causing unwanted side-effects. PLK1 contains a unique protein domain known as the polo box domain (PBD), which is essential for its function. One strategy for inhibiting PLK1 involves preventing the PBD domain from interacting with PLK1 substrates. A synthetic peptide with the ability to selectively bind to the PBD was recently identified. Using this peptide as a platform, NIH inventors have designed peptide mimetics that interact with the PBD with greater affinity than the wild-type peptide. By inhibiting PLK1 and selectively inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, these mimetics could serve as potential anti-cancer therapies. Applications:
Advantages:
Development Status: Preclinical stage of development. Inventors: Terrence R Burke (NCI) Fa Liu (NCI) Kyung S Lee (NCI) Jung-Eun Park (NCI) Wen-Jian Qian (NCI) Patent Status: HHS, Reference No. E-181-2009/2 US, Application No. 13/320,726 filed 17 May 2010 Relevant Publication:
Licensing Status: Available for licensing. For Licensing Information Please Contact: Patrick McCue Ph.D. NIH Office of Technology Transfer 6011 Executive Blvd. Suite 325, Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: McCuepat@mail.nih.gov Phone: 301-496-7057 Fax: 301-402-0220 Ref No: 1971 Updated: 06/2011 |