Available Technology
Assessing polyomavirus-related disease risk using genetic testing
Technology:
Testing using genetically distinct mice and an in-house assay for disease susceptibility
Markets Addressed
Human polyomavirus infections are common in the greater population, with a majority of individuals being infected with at least one strain in childhood. The majority of polyomavirus infections in humans are innocuous, but certain populations with compromised immune systems (included transplant recipients, HIV-infected individuals, and the elderly) are at risk of developing rare but serious polyomavirus-related diseases such as Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC), Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), and BK nephropathy. Furthermore, treatment with certain emerging drugs has been shown to lead to the development of polyomavirus-related diseases in certain patient subsets – an outcome that has lead to costly clinical trial disruptions, and one which might be avoided in the future if disease susceptibility was known while clinical treatment plans were being developed.
Innovations and Advantages
Using genetically distinct mice and an in-house assay for disease susceptibility, scientists at the Benjamin lab have successfully identified a gene which is a significant determinant of polyomavirus-related disease development risk.
Dr. Benjamin’s findings provided exciting data that laid the foundation for the development of a genetic test for risk assessment for polyomavirus-related diseases such as Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC), Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), and BK nephropathy.
The use of genetic testing for the purpose of assessing disease risk is becoming more commonplace in clinical practice, and the information provided by such tests can be highly valuable in the development of individual patient treatment plans. However, no such test currently exists for polyomavirus-related disease risk. Identifying patients who are predisposed to developing those pathologies following Polyioma virus infection, may also provide a valuable tool for identifying patients populations at risk, and help direct a more learned effort of drug development.
Additional Information
Intellectual Property Status: Patent(s) pending
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Inventor(s):
Beier, David
Benjamin, Thomas L.
Sung, Chang K.
Velupillai, Palanivel
Categories:
For further information, please contact:
Michal Preminger, Director of Business Development
(617) 432-0920
Reference Harvard Case #4657