Technology ID
TAB-3562
Inhibitors of Eya2 Phosphatase as an Anticancer Therapy
E-Numbers
E-083-2012-0
Lead Inventor
Zhao, Rui (Regents of the University of Colorado)
Co-Inventors
Ford, Heide (Regents of the University of Colorado)
Southall, Noel (National Human Genome Research Institute (NIH/NHGRI))
Englund, Erika (NCATS)
Patnaik, Samarjit (National Human Genome Research Institute (NIH/NHGRI))
Ferrer-Alegre, Marc (NCATS)
Zheng, Wei (National Human Genome Research Institute (NIH/NHGRI))
Dehdashti, Seameen (NCATS)
Applications
Therapeutics
Therapeutic Areas
Oncology
Lead IC
NCATS
ICs
NCATS
This technology includes inhibitors of the Eya phosphatase which can be utilized as anticancer therapy. The Eya proteins are essential co-activators of the Six1 transcription factor, a gene that is abnormally re-expressed in a large percentage of breast cancers. This over-expression plays a causal role in the initiation and metastatic development of breast cancers. The Eya family of proteins was also found to contain a unique haloacid dehalogenase phosphatase domain with protein Tyr phosphatase activity which can potentially play a role in Six1- mediated breast tumorigenesis. Recently, Eya was found to dephosphorylate the histone variant H2AX and direct cells to the DNA repair instead of apoptosis pathway in the event of DNA damage.
Commercial Applications
- Therapy for Six1-mediated breast cancer.
- Utilized as agents that increase the efficiency of radiation and certain chemotherapy agents.
Competitive Advantages
- One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and the Six1 gene is over-expressed in 50% of primary breast tumors and 90% of metastatic lesions; large market share.
- Half of patients with cancer receive radiation therapy and selectively sensitizing tumor tissue by engaging the apoptotic program of a cell is of great interest to the field of radiation oncology.
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