MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), in collaboration with the Department of Dermatology at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine and several other institutions, recently reported the development of a potential new treatment for psoriasis and other inflammatory diseases. The report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was the result of a National Institutes of Health-funded study.
The patent-pending technology described in the PNAS paper uses a modified form of the human chemokine CCL20, an immune system molecule involved in the genesis of psoriasis. Treatment with on-market psoriasis medications provide relief, but problems include disease recurrence and decreased immune response. This new prospective therapeutic blocked the movement of T cells into the epidermis, preventing the inflammatory cycle altogether in a mouse model.
“This technology employs a molecule that is so similar to the natural human CCL20 protein that we believe it will have low toxicity and immunogenicity,” said Dr. Anthony Getschman, postdoctoral fellow at MCW, a co-inventor of the technology and co-author of the study. “Targeting this pathway could provide better treatment with fewer side effects than on-market drugs.”
Dr. Edward Diehl of the MCW Office of Technology Development said, “this technology is an important addition to our intellectual property portfolio and we are seeking a pharmaceutical partner to help bring this to the clinic.”
With a history dating back to 1893, The Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In FY2016, faculty received more than $225 million in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes, including from the NIH. Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,100 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,650 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 530,000 patients annually. For more information on MCW Office of Technology Development, visit https://www.mcw.edu/Technology-Development.htm.
