Responsible Regional Contact Point
Organisation:	AWSG - AUSTRIA
Contact person:	Behnoosh Amirimani
Contact details:	b.amirimani@awsg.at +43 1 501 75 - 552
Organisation Details
Founded (Year):	1784
No of employees:	250+
Organisation Type:	University
Company (Organisation) details
An Austrian medical university
Areas of activity:
-  Medicine, Human Health -  Veterinary, Animal Health -  Biology/Biotechnology
1) Technology Offer
New Inhibitor for the Treatment of Notch2-associated Tumors
ABSTRACT: The invention comprises a method for treating tumors which are characterized by ligand-independent Notch2-fragments. A secondary fungal metabolite and its derivatives function as effective Notch2-inhibitors in Notch2-associated tumors such as B-CLL, melanoma and pancreatic cancer. DESCRIPTION: Resistance to apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer. Several lines of evidence suggest that the oncogene Notch2 plays a crucial anti-apoptotic role in B-cell chronic lymphatic leukemia (B-CLL), and various solid malignancies. INNOVATIVE ASPECTS: Using B-CLL as a model system for a Notch2-associated tumor, researchers from the Medical University of Vienna developed a novel efficient method for Notch2 inhibition. A secondary fungal metabolite and its derivatives have been shown to inhibit Notch2 signaling, resulting in massive apoptosis of primary patient derived B-CLL cells. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo screening experiments using the new Notch2-inhibitors in melanoma, pancreatic cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma revealed a strong anti-tumor activity against these solid cancer entities. Thus, the new Notch2-inhibitors might serve as effective anti-tumor treatment in Notch2-associated hematological and solid malignancies. MAIN ADVANTADGES / BENEFITS:  High specificity  Low dose application  Early response  Efficient treatment of Notch2-associated tumors including γ-secretase inhibitor resistant entities.  Cancer indications: B-CLL, hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, and other Notch2-associated malignancies TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: CURRENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT: The proof of principle has been demonstrated • in vitro using patient derived samples and established human cancer cell lines • in vivo using a melanoma nude mouse xenograft model. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (IPR): PCT application pending MARKET APPLICATIONS:  Treatment of CEA associated cancers  Cancer indications: colorectal, lung, breast, esophagus, pancreas, stomach TYPE OF COLLABORATION SOUGHT: License agreement, development partnership PARTNER PROFILE: Licensing partner or acquirer for further development of the technology.
Market application:
-  Health issue treatment
2) Technology Offer
Mimotope Vaccine against CEA expressing Tumors
ABSTRACT: The invention relates to a vaccine against cancerous diseases associated with the Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The technology comprises peptides mimicking CEA (mimotopes), which are suitable for vaccination of patients with CEA positive tumors such as colorectal carcinomas and cancers of the breast, lung, esophagus, pancreas or stomach. The mimotopes have been developed by researchers from a university in Austria. DESCRIPTION: The Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a glycoprotein overexpressed by different tumors, typically by colorectal carcinoma. Additionally, elevated serum levels of CEA are found in more than 50% of all breast cancers, 70% of small cell lung carcinoma, esophagus, pancreas, and gastric carcinomas. Among all cancers, colorectal carcinoma is the second most important cause of deaths due to maligancies in the U.S.A. and other industrialized countries. As CEA is specifically and highly expressed by many different malignancies, it represents an interesting target for anti-tumor immunotherapy. INNOVATIVE ASPECTS: Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna focused on developing an immunotherapy against tumors associated with CEA. They succeeded in generating peptides mimicking CEA by selecting mimotopes from phage display libraries using anti-CEA antibodies. In a proof-of-concept experiment, immunization with a CEA mimotope canditate induced antibodies in vivo (BALB/c mice) reacting with natural CEA. Thus, by active immunization with a mimic, tolerance against the self-antigen CEA can be broken rather than with identical structures. Moreover, in contrast to the treatment of tumors with passively applied antibodies, vaccinations allow the active induction of continuously available antibodies in the patient. With regard to the obtained results the CEA mimotopes are promising candidates for the development of vaccine therapies against several kinds of cancers. MAIN ADVANTADGES / BENEFITS:  Induction of long lasting antibody response  Breaking the tolerance of CEA as a self antigen  High immunogenic response of the peptides  Cheap synthesizing and stable products TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: CURRENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT: The proof-of-concept has been shown in vivo by inducing an immunogenic response in BALB/c mice with a CEA mimotope candidate. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (IPR): Patent pending (EP application) MARKET APPLICATIONS:  Treatment of CEA associated cancers  Cancer indications: colorectal, lung, breast, esophagus, pancreas, stomach TYPE OF COLLABORATION SOUGHT: License agreement, development partnership PARTNER PROFILE: Licensing partner or acquirer for further development of the technology.
Market application:
-  Health issue treatment
Entry/Update:	2006-10-20  /  2007-01-24