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Vascular Restoration Therapy with Cell-Penetrating CRADD Protein

Vascular inflammation caused by metabolic, autoimmune, and microbial insults mediates cardiovascular diseases that include hypertension and atherosclerosis (heart attacks, strokes), systemic lupus, and giant cell arteritis. An estimated 35 million Americans have hypercholesterolemia, contributing to 500,000 deaths underlying heart attacks and strokes. In these diseases, metabolic, autoimmune, and microbial insults continually challenge blood and vascular cells by triggering signaling to the nucleus mediated by BCL10. Genetic ablation of BCL10 rescues animals from atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysms, and fatty liver and insulin resistance due to overnutrition. Intracellular therapy with CP-CRADD is designed to extinguish BCL10-mediated noxious signals to avert vascular inflammation and its life-threatening complications including ruptured aneurysms in aorta and brain.


Licensing Contact

Mike Villalobos

615.322.6751
Therapeutics

New Molecules Clear Chronic Infections by Disrupting Bacterial Energy Production Pathways

New compounds developed at Vanderbilt demonstrate a unique mechanism of broad spectrum activity to stymy antibacterial resistance. The compounds are particularly useful in chronic infections where long term antibiotic therapy fails, because it specifically kills "small colony variants" -- the bacteria that have developed resistance mechanisms. These compounds show promise in treating Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), and in overcoming difficult-to-treat infections in bone in cystic fibrosis patients. These compounds could be combined with new (and old) antimicrobial drugs to outwit resistant bacterial infections.


Licensing Contact

Karen Rufus

615.322.4295
Therapeutics

Oral administration of levocarnitine for treating Sjögren's Syndrome-associated dry eye

Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) is a common and debilitating autoimmune disease, causing dry eye symptoms ranging from discomfort to dysfunction. Vanderbilt researchers have identified orally administered levocarnitine as a novel potential therapeutic for treating this condition.


Licensing Contact

Mike Villalobos

615.322.6751
Opthamology

Anti-inflammatory microparticles for sustained ocular drug delivery

Vanderbilt researchers have developed an injectable drug delivery vehicle using microparticles (MPs) that not only provide sustained cargo delivery over extended time but also play a therapeutic role themselves in reducing inflammation. This drug delivery platform can be used in treating ocular diseases such as glaucoma and traumatic optic neuropathy, as well as other inflammatory diseases throughout the body like peripheral arterial disease and osteoarthritis.


Licensing Contact

Taylor Jordan

615.936.7505

Small Molecule-GIRK Potassium Channel Modulators That Are Anxiolytic Therapeutics

The G-protein activated, inward-rectifying potassium (K+) channels, "GIRKs", are a family of ion channels that has been the focus of intense research interest for nearly two decades. GIRK has been shown to play important roles in the pathophysiology of diseases such as anxiety, epilepsy, Down's syndrome, pain perception and drug addiction. Here scientists at Vanderbilt developed the first truly potent, effective, and selective GIRK activator, ML297 (VU0456810) and demonstrated that ML297 is active in animal models of epilepsy. While the group is using ML297 to continue to explore the therapeutic benefits of GIRK modulation, they are continuing to develop more selective and druggable GIRK inhibitors from different scaffolds.


Licensing Contact

Cameron Sargent

615.322.5907
Therapeutics
Analgesic
Small Molecule

Use of Fluid Shear Stress Treatment to Enhance T Cell Activation

Researchers at Vanderbilt University have developed a technique to enhance immune cell activation by exposing cells to mechanical force while culturing. Proof-of-concept data indicate that activating immune cells with this method may improve therapeutic efficacy and reduce manufacturing expenses, making powerful CAR T cell therapies more accessible to patients in need.


Licensing Contact

Cameron Sargent

615.322.5907

Targeted photodynamic therapy for S. aureus infections

Vanderbilt researchers have developed a combination photodynamic therapy (PDT) for targeting MRSA infections in skin that is not only effective but also HIGHLY SPECIFIC and LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RESISTANCE, adding a much needed therapy to our quickly depleting arsenal against this pathogen.


Licensing Contact

Cameron Sargent

615.322.5907

Targeted light-based therapy for acne

Vanderbilt researchers have developed a photodynamic therapy (PDT) for effectively and specifically treating acne, the most common skin condition.


Licensing Contact

Cameron Sargent

615.322.5907
Therapeutics
Small Molecule

Cell-Permeable Socs Proteins That Inhibit Cytokine-Induced Signaling

Scientists at Vanderbilt have developed a unique polypeptide using cell-penetrating SOCS polypeptides or SOCS sequences designed to inhibits cytokine signaling and thus prevent or treat inflammation or an inflammatory related disease such as diabetes. This strategy has been validated in NOD mice models for either induced or naturally occurring diabetes and have been efficacious.


Licensing Contact

Mike Villalobos

615.322.6751
Therapeutics

Protein that protects probiotics from desiccation, leading to improved gut colonization

Probiotic supplements undergo significant water loss before consumption, killing many of their bacteria and rendering them less effective. Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a protein that protects against damage caused by desiccation and shown that this molecular shield can be added to probiotics to help them survive and colonize the gut. This platform technology can be broadly incorporated into new or existing supplements to make them more efficacious and even improve costs and distribution.


Licensing Contact

Karen Rufus

615.322.4295

Inventors

Eric Skaar, Erin Green
Therapeutics