Available Technology
Novel candidates for Tuberculosis therapy
Technology:
Antibiotics and antimicrobial drug screening methods
Markets Addressed
There is a need for new antibiotics that are useful against tuberculosis. Proteasomes of Mycobacterium tuberculosium are essential in enabling these bacteria to evade killing by macrophages of the infected host. Proteasome inhibitors, an emerging class of drugs, enhance the ability of host macrophages to kill M. tuberculosium; however, known inhibitors also block mammalian proteasomes. While one such composition has been approved for cancer therapy, these inhibitors likely are too toxic for the treatment of tuberculosis or other infectious diseases.
Innovations and Advantages
Based on the recent discoveries at Harvard Medical School as to the substrate specificity of prokaryotic proteasomes, the invention provides classes of selective inhibitors of bacterial proteasome function. The invention additionally encompasses methods by which to validate and optimize antimicrobial drug candidates.
Additional Information
Intellectual Property Status: A U.S. patent application is pending and international rights are available. The invention is available for exclusive license.
Publication:
Venkatraman et al., 2004, "Eukaryotic proteasomes cannot digest polyglutamine sequences and release them during degradation of polyglutamine-containing proteins", Mol Cell. 14(1): 95-104.
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Inventor(s):
Goldberg, Alfred L.
Categories:
For further information, please contact:
Grant Zimmermann, Director of Business Development
(617) 495-3067
Reference Harvard Case #2301