KSTC Commercialization Fund: Mim-1 in Anabolic Bone Therapy

  • Williams, John (PI)

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

23. Project Summary: The project summary should not exceed one page (300 words). This stand-alone page should resemble an abstract. It should provide a brief overview of the concept. Included in this summary should be the rationale (what is missing in the market now that this product will fill), vision (the market possibilities), distinguishing features (why is your product better than everything else on the market), statement of objectives (what are the milestones you need to reach in the creation of the technology), and proposed activities (defined milestones you will reach) to enable innovation. It should provide methods to be employed and the impact of the proposed activity on the advancement of knowledge, development of a new product, or resolution to a problem. The health of bone is maintained by the net activity of the two cell types that degrade and bui Id bone, osteoclasts and osteoblasts, respectively. Molecular mechanisms coordinating the activity of these cellular processes are poorly understood. Healthcare costs due to bone fractures and complications arising from fractures are enormous and are expected to continue growing. The most recent estimates indicate that costs are in excess of $18 billion/year. Currently, there are no non-hormonal therapies on the market that stimulate bone growth in otherwise healthy patients. The only FDA approved anabolic agent for bone is PTH which has the potential for inducing hypercalcemia. All other bone therapies rely on inhibiting bone resorption by osteoclasts. We have demonstrated that osteoclasts secrete a protein, that we identified as mim-l (!!!)'b-induced !!!)'eloid protein-I), whose function has not been previously described. We have patented the technology of mim-l in bone by demonstrating that mim-l stimulates a concentration dependent increase in osteoblast precursor cell migration, as well as the differentiation of osteoblastic precursor cells and matrix mineralization by osteoblasts. Pharmaceutical companies are actively seeking anabolic agents to stimulate bone growth. Currently all our data indicates that mim-l is such an agent. We have patented two sets of claims relative to the mim-l technology. Pharmaceutical companies have indicated that we need to have the human mim-l cDNA cloned in order for them to be willing to license this technology. Therefore, the immediate goal of the proposed work is to obtain the human mim-l cDNA. Ultimately, the most significant therapeutic target will be identification of the mim-l receptor. Successful completion of these two goals will allow additional patentable claims and uniquely position us at the front of the emerging field for developing anabolic therapies of bone. 24. Gantt Chart: A Gantt chart should provide a clear understanding of the work schedule relative to time and financial expectations. This outline will estimate the progression of the Technical Narrative and should closely correspond to the stages described in the Technical Narrative (#3 below). It should be broken down by general processes and then by the component steps in the process. Each process and component step must contain information related to time and cost. A sample but very brief Gant Chart is below for your reference.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date9/1/0510/31/07

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