All Licensing Opportunities

We have colour coded the opportunities by product type to make it easier to pick out the opportunities that you are interested in.  Material sales (e.g. hybridomas and other cell lines) are listed under the materials sales section of the website.

  • 26046 Acetylation of cytokeratin 8

    Dr Bernard Corfe at Sheffield University has discovered that acetylation patterns of cytokeratins, in particular cytokeratin 8, can be correlated with cancer or a predisposition to cancer.

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    The cytoskeleton is a scaffold upon which the cellular architecture is based. The eukaryotic cytoskeleton comprises actin filaments, microtubules and intermediate filaments. Intermediate filaments include the cytokeratins. While their primary role is mechanical support, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the cytokeratins are also mediators of the subcellular distribution of other proteins and that they also have a role in cell signalling pathways. Regulation of cytokeratin expression activity occurs, at least in part, through changes in post translational modification.

    The discovery that acetylation patterns of cytokeratins, in particular cytokeratin 8, can be correlated with cancer or a predisposition to cancer, therefore raising the prospect of novel diagnostic tests and therapies. This work is the subject of a filed patent application.

    For more information please download a summary of the technology from the link below

    LicensingOpportunity26046Acetylationofcytokeratin8.pdf

  • 27044 Fluorcanasite glass ceramic for dentistry

    Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed a novel, fully-synthetic fluorcanasite material with class-leading properties that is inexpensive to produce

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    The dental market is well positioned to expand quickly over the next 30 years with 2 key underlying trends set to drive growth:

    • an ageing and relatively wealthy population in the advanced economies

    • rapid growth of a new middle-class in the emerging economies that will yield at least one billion new dental patients

    Within the dental market sector, indirect dental restorations are a large and growing market, with over 20 million dental restorations carried out in the US per year and in the UK in 1998, over 55% of dentate adults had at least one decayed or unsound tooth.

    Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed a novel, fully-synthetic fluorcanasite material with class-leading properties and that is inexpensive to produce. Our material, Fluorcanasite S82, is stronger than currently available materials, has higher fracture toughness, has class leading aesthetic properties and is designed to be machinable with all common CAD/CAM systems. Fluorcanasite is strikingly more similar in appearance to a real tooth than competitor products.

    We are currently undertaking work to ensure regulatory compliance for the material and are making rapid progress towards compiling a data file suitable for applying for CE marking/FDA approval.

     

    For further information please download the summary document below:

    LicensingOpportunity27044Fluorcanasiteglassceramicfordentistry.pdf

  • 27041 Catalytic methods for preparation of chiral amines

    Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed and optimised new systems for the preparation of chiral amines in almost quantitative yield and as, essentially, one stereoisomer. 

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    The worldwide pharmaceutical and fine chemical industry has an increasing need for more efficient and selective methods for the construction of molecules of high commercial value. However, many organic, biochemical and biological compounds are chiral (that is they have a structure that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image) which, when used as pharmaceuticals, can differ markedly in their efficacy or toxicity. Additionally, strict regulatory procedures introduced after previous problems with pharmaceutical stereo isomers) now dictate that any chiral compounds (existing as two enantiomeric molecules) must be evaluated in both of these forms. This has led to an enormous global interest in developing new methods and techniques for the production of chiral molecules. Controlling the chirality of the final product using current methods is complicated and involves a great deal of optimisation of many different factors which affect the outcome of the catalytic process, such as the catalyst structure, catalyst loading, solvent, temperature and time. Relatively minor changes in any one of these factors can have a significant and often detrimental effect on the stereo chemical outcome of the reaction.

    Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed and optimised new systems for the preparation of chiral amines in almost quantitative yield and as, essentially, one stereoisomer. Their system is also unique since it allows a ‘one-pot’ two-step transformation, operating efficiently with only 1% of catalyst compared to those reported in the literature, which require 10%. These catalysts also have the advantage of being easily prepared and do not require transition metals, which can be expensive and can contaminate the end product.

    For more information please download a summary of the technology from the link below

    LicensingOpportunity27041CatalyticMethodsforPreparationofChiralAmines.pdf

  • 26022 Tribbles

    Researchers at the University of Sheffield have recently identified a novel protein family, Tribbles (trb), as regulators of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways.  MAPKs are involved in the regulation of development, cell activation, proliferation and vascular contraction and are classified into at least three distinct groups (JNK, p38 and ERK kinases).  The academic team have shown that tribbles proteins modulate the activation of JNK, ERK and p38 MAPKs in a cell type and concentration specific manner.

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    Researchers at the University of Sheffield have recently identified a novel protein family, Tribbles (trb), as regulators of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways.  MAPKs are involved in the regulation of development, cell activation, proliferation and vascular contraction and are classified into at least three distinct groups (JNK, p38 and ERK kinases).  The academic team have shown that tribbles proteins modulate the activation of JNK, ERK and p38 MAPKs in a cell type and concentration specific manner.

    The research has also shown that expression of one member of the Tribbles family, trb-1, has a strong anti-proliferative function in vascular smooth muscle cells which may be of physiological importance in the development and progression of atherosclerosis.  The observations reveal trb-1 to be a novel, central regulator of vascular smooth muscle cells function.  Furthermore, modulation of trb-1 has been shown to enhance the proliferation rate of human primary cells which is of use in several applications including tissue engineering, autologous skin grafts and industrial applications which require larger quantities of primary cells such as drug screening.       

    For more information please download a summary of the technology from the link below:

    LicensingOpportunity26022Tribbles.pdf

  • 27024 Tribbles-2

    According to the World Health Organisation, cardiovascular diseases kill more people in Europe and North America than any other disease.  The formation of foam cells from macrophages and monocytes is a hallmark of the development of atherosclerotic lesions and plaques, which can lead to acute coronary syndrome (ACS).  The identification of a novel family of proteins, Tribbles, which regulate the upstream processes involved in causing plaque formation and atherosclerosis provides a potential target for therapeutic intervention and diagnostics. 

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    The identification of a novel family of proteins, Tribbles, which regulate the upstream processes involved in causing plaque formation and atherosclerosis provides a potential target for therapeutic intervention and diagnostics.  There is a mounting body of evidence which suggests that dysregulation of Tribbles proteins can lead to cancerous transformation, type II diabetes and the development of metabolic syndromes. 

    One member of the tribbles family, trb-2, has been identified as novel regulator of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) activation and is also a binding partner and negative regulator of selected Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Kinases (MAPKKs).  University of Sheffield researchers have discovered that down-regulation of trb-2 is involved with the inflammatory activation of macrophages and that trb-2 is selectively down-regulated in patients with ACS.  They have also obtained evidence for the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory properties of statins.

    A patent application has been filed which includes the use of Trb-2 modulators as a therapeutic.The work outlined above shows that statins may be intimately involved in altering inflammatory monocyte physiology. The research group have evidence of the mechanism by which statins modulate the level of expression of central regulatory components of inflammatory signal processing. The data shows that trb-2 is down-regulated during inflammatory activation of monocytes.  We are currently seeking a commercial partner to explore the potential of trb-2 as a target for anti-inflammatory therapies.

    For more information please download a summary of the technology from the link below:

    LicensingOpportunity27024Tribbles2.pdf

  • 25041 Therapeutics for Prion diseases

    Prion diseases, or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and animals. As yet, no effective curative or prophylactic therapy exists.  Prion diseases are characterised by the accumulation of fibrils of PrPSc, the infectious and protease-resistant form of the cellular prion protein (PrPC).  Researchers at Sheffield University have found several small drug-like molecules that interact with human PrPC (huPrPC) and/or reduce levels of PrPSc in persistently infected cells, which could be used as novel prion disease therapeutics. 

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    Prion diseases, or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and animals. As yet, no effective curative or prophylactic therapy exists.  Prion diseases are characterised by the accumulation of fibrils of PrPSc, the infectious and protease-resistant form of the cellular prion protein (PrPC).  

    Humans are susceptible to several prion diseases including Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS), Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI), Kuru and Alpers Syndrome.  CJD occurs worldwide with a roughly even incidence of between 0.5-1.0 cases per million per year. Higher rates (up to 100-fold) have been reported in certain geographical areas.  A new variant of the human TSE Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD) was discovered, which represents a highly significant risk to public health due to transmission both to and between humans.

    The formation of amyloid fibrils in prion diseases is also a feature of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Type II diabetes.  Individual fibres polymerise into highly stable, insoluble cross-linked masses. These structures are toxic to cells. For prion diseases, these structures represent the infectious agent.  Researchers at Sheffield University have found several small drug-like molecules that interact with human PrPC (huPrPC) and/or reduce levels of PrPSc in persistently infected cells, which could be used as novel prion disease therapeutics. 

    We have filed a patent application relating to the compounds and their use in therapy, especially in the treatment of prion diseases.

    For more information please download a summary of the technology from the link below.

    LicensingOpportunity25041TherapeuticsforPriondiseases.pdf

  • 26048 TILRR

    The present invention relates to the finding that TILRR, a distinct regulator of TIR function, specifically impacts the NF-kB induced inflammatory response, thus making possible highly selective targeting. 

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    The receptors recognize a range of distinct ligands and co-receptors, but activate responses through an evolutionary conserved homologous region, the TIR domain .  The importance of TILRR as a target (as opposed to other Toll like and IL-1 receptors) is because TILRR activates the TIR domain in a distinct manner and regulates inflammatory responses and other NF- kB induced events through separate portions of the core protein, making it possible to selectively control downstream events.  TILRR has a unique combination of characteristics, including selective/distinct regulation together with a cell surface location, making TILRR a readily accessible and highly specific regulator; very desirable attributes in drug design and development.

    We have developed the use of TILRR as a novel therapeutic agent. 

    For more information please download a summary of the technology from the link below.

    LicensingOpportunity26048TILRR.pdf

  • 27010 Remote Blood Glucose Monitor

    A team of engineers and clinicians from the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals have developed an electronic system to provide automated collection, delivery, analysis and feedback of a patient’s blood glucose measurement via wireless technology for remote medical monitoring and feedback by a clinician. 

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    The compact monitor is a compatible “add on” to existing glucose meters and communicates wirelessly with the patient’s mobile phone.  The phone then sends text messages to a server automatically; bespoke software then stores these readings in a database in order to present, analyse and prioritise the data to the clinician to provide feedback to the patient as appropriate.  The system offers several advantages over current practice as it is does not require expensive hardware and is compatible with any wireless-enabled mobile phone, making use of existing ICT infrastructure.

    The system may be particularly useful in both juvenile and elderly diabetics who often have difficulty in managing their blood glucose.  Type I diabetics follow a strict daily regime for management of blood glucose levels, a process facilitated by several blood glucose tests each day.  In 2003, there were a total of 517 million diabetics in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, UK and the USA (World Health Organisation, WHO).  Around 10% of this population had Type 1 diabetes.   It is estimated that diabetes related complications cost the NHS around £1.2 billion annually. In the US, the healthcare costs for a person with diabetes are estimated at over $13,000 per year. Current opinion is that better management of blood glucose levels can lead to a 40% cost reduction in diabetes related complications.  In North America alone, $98 billion is spent per year on the care and impact of diabetes. 

    The Sheffield technology will help improve quality of life for patients as well as reducing the cost of diabetes to healthcare providers.   

     

    For further information please download a summary of the technology from the link below.

    LicensingOpportunity27010RemoteBloodGlucoseMonitor.pdf

  • 27012 FPGA system for protein identification

    This system reduces the time required to identify a protein from mass spectrometry data from tens of minutes to less than 100 milliseconds

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    This is achieved by running bioinformatics algorithms on highly optimised digital processors that are programmed to run on a 'reconfigurable chip', the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). An FPGA is a type of digital integrated circuit that can be reprogrammed after it is manufactured. The FPGA devices sit on a reconfigurable card that is interfaced with a PC via the standard PCI bus. The card can be configured to have 4 FPGA devices and 3Gbytes of RAM memory to store entire protein databases.  The processing speed of this system allows the user to get a match to a database entry in real-time.

    For further information please download a summary of the technology from the link below.

    LicensingOpportunity27012FPGAsystemforrealtimeproteinidentification.pdf

  • 25010 Speech Therapy Software

    Academics at Sheffield (Prof. Rosemary Varley and Dr Sandra Whiteside) have developed clinical evidence-based software that has been shown to treat apraxia and aphasia in clinical trials. 

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    This software has now been exclusively licensed. 

  • 27032 Auditory Neuronal Differentiation

    A patent application has been filed relating to an agent for treating sensorineural hearing loss

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    Researchers at Sheffield University have found that extracellular proteases can induce neural differentiation from human auditory stem cells in vitro, including the growth of extensive neurites.  The potential exists that this or other specific proteases or receptor agonists could be used to induce auditory differentiation and/or the production of neurites. 

    This ability to induce new neurons and/or the generation of projections by the surviving auditory neurons may itself facilitate the development of a novel therapy for deafness, or could be combined with current cochlear implants to improve their efficiency thereby increasing their usefulness. 

    For more information please download a summary of the technology from the link below

    LicensingOpportunity27032AuditoryNeuronalDifferentiation.pdf

  • 27036 Colorimetric Sensors for DNA

    A researcher at the University of Sheffield has developed a novel colorimetric sensor with properties which include detecting the presence of DNA.   

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    This chemical compound can interact with DNA in a specific manner and undergoes a visible colour change; this specificity may be related to the sequence or,

    more likely, the structure of the target DNA. The compound is a dinuclear Ruthenium-based coordination complex which can bind to DNA and undergoes a

    colour change from purple to green or blue depending upon the nature of the DNA.


    Some preliminary work suggests that the prototype molecule is not markedly cytotoxic and so could be used for research with live, rather than fixed, cells.

    A striking feature of the molecule is its apparent ability to specifically bind certain DNA structures, offering the possibility of the direct detection of these

    structures in living cells and the use of this compound as a tool for studying cell biology.  The image below shows the colour change of a solution of the

    compound on addition of calf thymus DNA. 

     

    For further information please download the summary information sheet below:

    LicensingOpportunity27036ColorimetricSensorsforDNA.pdf

  • 27090 Non-Toxic cellular stain

    A research group at the University of Sheffield has developed a series of novel chemical compounds suitable for live cellular staining applications with a unique combination of properties.

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    Researchers require a detailed understanding of the processes and control points involved in specific diseases from inherited disorders to cancer and infections. Although much work has been done using cell-free systems where individual enzymes are analysed in vitro, there are always caveats about the relevance of such data to whole cells or organisms.  Until recently cell biologists were restricted to studying static, fixed tissue sections, raising concerns around artefacts introduced by sample preparation.  New instruments allow cell biologists to study living cells and tissues, providing dynamic, real-time data.  This instrumentation requires new reagents, such as cell stains, matched to its capabilities.

    Currently available staining systems are far from ideal for the following reasons:

    • Most have low water solubilities.
    • Their cellular uptake can be low so that staining can only be accomplished in fixed cells.
    • Most stains tend to be toxic, thus stained cells are only viable for 30 - 60 minutes.
    • They often have poor signal/noise ratios.

     A research group at the University of Sheffield has developed a series of novel chemical compounds suitable for use as reagents for this new cell biology.  The compounds appear to be very suitable for live cellular staining applications and have a unique combination of properties, including:  

    • Very low toxicity, which allows for long-term culture studies on labelled cells
    • High solubility in water, avoiding the need for incompatible organic solvents that might affect cells
    • Unique optical properties that provide a high signal-to-noise ratio
    • Straight-forward to synthesise in a few chemical steps using readily-available precursors making them suitable for scale-up to commercial manufacture
    • Fluorescent light output is highly dependent on its environment - it produces different colours when bound to different structures within a cell.

     For further information please download the summary document below:  

    LicensingOpportunity27090Nontoxiccellularstain.pdf

Focus on

25041 Therapeutics for Prion diseases

Prion diseases, or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and animals. As yet, no effective curative or prophylactic therapy exists.  Prion diseases are characterised by the accumulation of fibrils of PrPSc, the infectious and protease-resistant form of the cellular prion protein (PrPC).  Researchers at Sheffield University have found several small drug-like molecules that interact with human PrPC (huPrPC) and/or reduce levels of PrPSc in persistently infected cells, which could be used as novel prion disease therapeutics. 

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