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Country of origin: Netherlands

Summary

Human keratinocytes, infected with high-risk Human Papillloma Viruses
(hrHPV), display a decreased capacity for type I interferon (IFN) and proinflammatory cytokines production, enabling virus to escape the immune system. Scientists at a Dutch University Medical Center have now identified a key regulatory enzyme that is overexpressed at the gene and protein level in
hrHPV infected human keratinocytes. Biotech or pharmaceutical companies are sought.

Full description

Human keratinocytes, infected with high-risk Human Papillloma Viruses
(hrHPV), display a decreased capacity for type I interferon (IFN) and proinflammatory cytokines production. This allows the virus to escape from the
immune system, ultimately leading to a persistent hrHPV infection. Persistent
hrHPV infection has been shown to promote the development of cervical
cancer.

Several vaccination strategies are under development for preventing
cervical cancer caused by HPV. However, these vaccines can not clear hrHPV
infections and are only targeted to a small subset of HPV subtypes.

Scientists at a Dutch University Medical Center have now identified a key
regulatory enzyme that is overexpressed at the gene and protein level in
hrHPV infected human keratinocytes. This key enzyme inhibits downstream
signalling of the type 1 IFN and canonical NFkB pathways.
Specific inhibition of this enzyme by RNAi in infected keratinocytes restores
NFkB activation and type I IFN production. Targeting this key enzyme (e.g. by
small molecule inhibitors) will therefore re-activate the immune response to
hrHPV and thus might overcome the problem of persistent infection,
irrespective of HPV type.

It can be expected that other viruses use a similar immune escape mechanism.
Therefore suppression of the key enzyme could be broadly applicable for the
treatment of viral infections as well as other viral-induced tumours.

Innovative Aspects

- treatment of both early and persistent HPV infections;
- prevention of HPV related cancers;
- regulation of inflammation.

Partner expertise sought:

Commercial Partner Sought:
Biotech and pharmaceutical companies having extensive experience in developing and
marketing cancer/infectious disease therapeutics.
Research collaboration is also welcome.

Listed under: Medicine and Health \ Oncology and Cytology

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Key dates Profile created on: 29 July 2010 Closing date: 23 July 2011

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