Lead Inventor:
Nicole Suciu-Foca
Cancer Detection and Treatment Dependant on Markers to Detect Tumors Early
Early cancer detection and treatment is a daunting challenge. The diversity of cancer types means that there is a large demand for markers which can be used to detect tumors as early as possible. Further, there is a need to identify targets for the treatment of specific cancer types. This is often accomplished by identifying markers or targets and then raising monoclonal antibodies against these targets.
Monoclonal Antibody Identifies CD109 Positive Cells and Found to be Effective Biomarker for Basal-Like Breast Carcinomas
This technology is a monoclonal antibody against a cell surface glycoprotein CD109. CD109 is a cell surface glycoprotein present on subsets of bone marrow mononuclear cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and T cells in humans. It is up-regulated in certain cancers, and has recently been found to be an effective biomarker for basal-like breast carcinomas. Specifically, it has been found to be up-regulated in squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, esophagus, uterus and oral cavity. This antibody has been successfully used to identify CD109 positive cells experimentally and has the potential to be developed for both therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
Applications:
• Can potentially be developed into a diagnostic tool for the detection of basal-like breast carcinomas and possibly other tumors
• Could potentially be used therapeutically if it can inhibit CD109 function, as CD109 appears to promote tumor growth.
• This antibody may be useful in a research setting where the targeted antibody labeling of CD109 expressing cells is required
Advantages:
• This antibody may be beneficial both therapeutically and diagnostically, since CD109 is not only a marker of certain cancers, but may actually promote tumor growth
• This technology permits the study of specific T cell subpopulations
Licensing Status: Available for Licensing and Sponsored Research Support
Publications:
Nature (5 December 1985) Vol 318, No. 6045, pp. 465-467