Description:
Reference #: 01499
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for In vitro assay for drug discovery of valvular heart disease
Background:
Heart valve disease is the third leading cause of heart disease. Calcification of aortic valve and mitral valve is a major heart valve disease. There is no medical treatment, and the surgical valve replacement is the only option to save patients' lives. Unfortunately, replaced valves could further calcify after few years requiring further valve replacement surgery.
Invention Description:
The proposed is a cell culture-based assay that can be used to quickly identify novel and potential drugs that can used for medical treatment of valve disease. This innovation will lead to the identification of novel drugs, molecules, chemicals, small molecule inhibitors etc., for medical treatment of aortic and mitral valve calcification. Successful candidates will be tested in preclinical and clinical studies to develop novel medical treatment.
Potential Applications:
Heart valve disease treatment is the application of the proposed technology. It will help millions of people afflicted with heart disease.
Advantages and Benefits:
This is the first and most robust mouse valve calcification assay. It will lead to identification of novel drugs for valve disease. Large number of potential drug candidates can be screened very quickly and efficiently by using this assay. Since the assay is based on cells derived from mouse valves, the lead drugs/candidates can be tested in genetic and experimental in vivo mouse models of valve disease before initiating potential clinical trials.