Description:
Utilization of human recombinant Tinagl1 protein in inhibiting triple-negative-breast cancer progression and metastasis
Princeton Docket # 19-3526
Researchers in Princeton University’s Department of Molecular Biology have developed the human recombinant protein Tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen like-1 (Tinagl1) as a promising treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Patients with TNBC have the worst prognosis of all major breast cancer subtypes. Most treatments of TNBC fail due to the redundancies of the molecularly interconnected EGFR and integrin/FAK signaling pathways involved.
The major innovation of this therapeutic is its ability to target both the EGFR and integrin/FAK pathways. In vitro analysis by tumor-sphere assay confirmed recombinant Tinagl1 protein as an inhibitor of tumor growth. The researchers completed extensive testing in mice as well as in cell lines demonstrating that Tinagl1 administration attenuates primary breast tumor growth and lung metastasis with no adverse effects. Importantly, because the EGFR and integrin/FAK pathways are commonly involved in other cancers, recombinant Tinagl1 protein is not limited to breast cancer treatment. The technology is at a stage for pre-clinical development.
Applications
• Triple-negative breast cancer patient treatment
• Treatment for other types of cancers that depend on EGFR and integrin/FAK pathways, such as lung cancer and colon cancer
• Adjuvant therapy for cancer patients
Advantages
• Targets both EGFR and integrin/FAK pathways
• Extensive animal and cell line data showing treatment effect
• No observed adverse effects in animal studies
Intellectual Property & Development Status
Patent protection is pending. Extensive animal and cell line testing data is available.
Princeton is currently seeking commercial partners for the further development and commercialization of this opportunity.
Publications
Shen M., Jinag Y-Z., Wei Y., Ell B., Sheng X., Espositol M., Kang J., Hang X., Zheng H., Rowicki M., Zhang L., Celia-Terrassa T., Liu Y., Cristeal I., Shao Z-M., and Kang Y. (2018) Tinagl1 Suppresses Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis by Simultaneously Inhibiting Integrin/FAK and EGFR Signaling. Cancer Cell
The Inventors
Yibin Kang is a Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Fudan University in Shanghai in 1995. After completing his graduate study at Duke in 2000, Dr. Kang became an Irvington Institute postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Joan Massagué at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and pioneered a functional genomic approach to elucidate the mechanism of breast cancer metastasis. Dr. Kang joined the faculty of Princeton University as an Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology in 2004. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2010 and to Endowed Chair Full Professor in 2012. Dr. Kang is a recipient of the Komen Scholar Award, the AACR Outstanding Investigator Award, the AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research, and the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science among others.
Minhong Shen is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Yibin Kang at Princeton University.
Contact:
Laurie Tzodikov
Princeton University Office of Technology Licensing
(609) 258-7256 • tzodikov@princeton.edu
Catherine Ruesch
Princeton University Office of Technology Licensing
University Administrative Fellow
cruesch@princeton.edu