Patents by Inventor Norman L. Block
Norman L. Block has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9855312Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions of GHRH agonists and peptides, and methods to treat disorders, such as ischemia and reperfusion injury. In one embodiment, a method of treating a reperfusion injury in a subject in need may involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one GHRH agonist peptide to the subject. In additional embodiment, a method of promoting vasculogenesis in a mammal may involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one GHRH agonist peptide to the subject. In a further embodiment, a method of promoting differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into endothelial cells may involve contacting mesenchymal stem cells with at least one GHRH agonist peptide.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2013Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSInventors: Andrew V. Schally, Joshua M. Hare, Norman L. Block, Samirah A. Gomes, Rosemeire M. Kanashiro-Takeuchi
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Patent number: 9393271Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions of GHRH agonists and peptides, and methods to treat diabetes. In one embodiment, a method of promoting survival of grafted cells and/or tissues may involve exposing the cells and/or tissues to an effective amount of at least one agonist of GHRH. In some embodiments, the grafted cells and/or tissues may be pancreatic cells. In some embodiments, the grafted cells may be islet cells co-cultured with non-pancreatic cells. In a further embodiment, a method of treating a patient diagnosed with diabetes involves transplanting and/or grafting the islet cells and/or tissues comprising islet cells into a patient, and administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one agonist of GHRH to the patient. In some embodiments, the islet cells and/or tissues comprising islet cells may be optionally exposed to GHRH and/or at least one agonist of GHRH prior to transplantation into a patient.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2013Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignees: University of Miami, The United States of America, Represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dresden University of TechnologyInventors: Andrew V. Schally, Norman L. Block, Stefan Bornstein, Barbara Ludwig
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Publication number: 20150166617Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions of GHRH peptide antagonists, and methods to treat Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Such compounds are useful for therapeutics, for protecting neuronal cells from cell-death and for promoting neuronal cell viability.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2013Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Andrew V. Schally, Miklos Jasberenyi, Norman L. Block
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Patent number: 8980249Abstract: Agonists of growth hormone releasing hormone promote islet graft growth and proliferation in patients. Methods of treating patients comprise the use of these agonists.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2011Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignees: University of Miami, Dresden University of TechnologyInventors: Andrew V. Schally, Barbara Ludwig, Stefan Bornstein, Norman L. Block
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Publication number: 20140193378Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions of GHRH agonists and peptides, and methods to treat diabetes. In one embodiment, a method of promoting survival of grafted cells and/or tissues may involve exposing the cells and/or tissues to an effective amount of at least one agonist of GHRH. In some embodiments, the grafted cells and/or tissues may be pancreatic cells. In some embodiments, the grafted cells may be islet cells co-cultured with non-pancreatic cells. In a further embodiment, a method of treating a patient diagnosed with diabetes involves transplanting and/or grafting the islet cells and/or tissues comprising islet cells into a patient, and administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one agonist of GHRH to the patient. In some embodiments, the islet cells and/or tissues comprising islet cells may be optionally exposed to GHRH and/or at least one agonist of GHRH prior to transplantation into a patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, DRESDEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, U.S.A., REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSInventors: Andrew V. SCHALLY, Norman L. BLOCK, Stefan BORNSTEIN, Barbara LUDWIG
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Publication number: 20140179604Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions of GHRH agonists and peptides, and methods to treat disorders, such as ischemia and reperfusion injury. In one embodiment, a method of treating a reperfusion injury in a subject in need may involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one GHRH agonist peptide to the subject. In additional embodiment, a method of promoting vasculogenesis in a mammal may involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one GHRH agonist peptide to the subject. In a further embodiment, a method of promoting differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into endothelial cells may involve contacting mesenchymal stem cells with at least one GHRH agonist peptide.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2013Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicants: U.S.A., REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMIInventors: Andrew V. SCHALLY, Joshua M. HARE, Norman L. BLOCK, Samirah A. GOMES, Rosemeire M. KANASHIRO-TAKEUCHI
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Publication number: 20140057847Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods demonstrating that growth-hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) directly activates cellular reparative mechanisms within the injured heart, in a GH/IGF-I independent fashion. Following experimental myocardial infarction (MI), rats were randomly assigned to receive, during a 4 week period, either placebo (n=14), rat recombinant GH (rrGH, n=8) or JI-38 (n=8; 50 ?g/Kg/day), a potent GHRH-agonist. JI-38 did not elevate serum levels of GH or IGF-I, but markedly attenuated the degree of cardiac functional decline and remodeling after injury. In contrast, GH administration markedly elevated body weight, heart weight, circulating GH and IGF-I, but did not offset the decline in cardiac structure and function. Whereas, both JI-38 and GH augmented levels of cardiac precursor cell proliferation, only JI-38 increased anti-apoptotic gene expression. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that within the heart, GHRH-agonists can activate cardiac repair following MI.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2013Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicants: United States of America, Represented by The Department of Veterans Affairs, University of MiamiInventors: Andrew V. SCHALLY, Norman L. Block, Joshua M. Hare, Rosemeire Miyuki Kanashiro-Takeuchi
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Publication number: 20130261058Abstract: Agonists of growth hormone releasing hormone promote islet graft growth and proliferation in patients. Methods of treating patients comprise the use of these agonists.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2011Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicants: University of Miami, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensInventors: Andrew V. Schally, Hippokratis Kiaris, Norman L. Block
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Patent number: 8507433Abstract: Whether the growth hormone (GH)/Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-I) axis exerts cardioprotective effects remains controversial; and the underlying mechanism(s) for such actions are unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that growth-hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) directly activates cellular reparative mechanisms within the injured heart, in a GH/IGF-I independent fashion. Following experimental myocardial infarction (MI), rats were randomly assigned to receive, during a 4 week period, either placebo (n=14), rat recombinant GH (rrGH, n=8) or JI-38 (n=8; 50 ?g/Kg/day), a potent GHRH-agonist. JI-38 did not elevate serum levels of GH or IGF-I, but markedly attenuated the degree of cardiac functional decline and remodeling after injury. In contrast, GH administration markedly elevated body weight, heart weight, circulating GH and IGF-I, but did not offset the decline in cardiac structure and function.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignees: University of Miami, The United States of America, represented by the Deptartment of Veterans AffairsInventors: Andrew V. Schally, Norman L Block, Joshua Hare, Rosemeire Miyuki Kanashiro Takeuchi
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Publication number: 20130195807Abstract: Agonists of growth hormone releasing hormone promote islet graft growth and proliferation in patients. Methods of treating patients comprise the use of these agonists.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2011Publication date: August 1, 2013Inventors: Andrew V. Schally, Barbara Ludwig, Stefan Bornstein, Norman L. Block
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Publication number: 20110066230Abstract: Novel fluorinated synthetic analogs of hGH-RH(1-30)NH2 that inhibit the release of growth hormone from the pituitary in mammals as well as inhibit the proliferation of human cancers through a direct effect on the cancer cells, and to therapeutic compositions containing these novel peptides and their use.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2009Publication date: March 17, 2011Inventors: Andrew Schally, Jozsef Varga, Marta Zarandi, Ren Zhi Cai, Norman L. Block
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Publication number: 20100092539Abstract: Novel fluorinated synthetic analogs of hGH-RH(1-30)NH2 that inhibit the release of growth hormone from the pituitary in mammals as well as inhibit the proliferation of human cancers through a direct effect on the cancer cells, and to therapeutic compositions containing these novel peptides and their use.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Inventors: Andrew Schally, Jozsef Varga, Marta Zarandi, Ren Zhi Cai, Norman L. Block
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Patent number: 6429204Abstract: The invention is a method of inhibiting a sarcoma, such as Kaposi's sarcoma, in a mammal. The method employs 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-de(dimethylamino)tetracycline (CMT-3.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: University of MiamiInventors: Lorne M. Golub, Thomas F. McNamara, Nungavaram S. Ramamurthy, Hsi-Ming Lee, Sanford Simon, Balakrishna L. Lokeshwar, Marie G. Selzer, Norman L. Block
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Patent number: 6100248Abstract: The invention is a method of inhibiting cancer growth, by inhibiting cellular proliferation, invasiveness, or metastasis, or by inducing cytotoxicity against cancer in mammals. The method employs 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-de(dimethylamino)tetracycline (CMT-3) and other functionally related chemically modified, preferably non-antibacterial, tetracycline compounds to inhibit cancer growth. The method is particularly effective to inhibit the establishment, growth, and metastasis of solid tumors, such as tumors derived from colon cancer cells, breast cancer cells, melanoma cells, prostatic carcinoma cells, or lung cancer cells.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Inventors: Lorne M. Golub, Thomas F. McNamara, Nungavaram S. Ramamurthy, Hsi-Ming Lee, Sanford Simon, Balakrishna L. Lokeshwar, Marie G. Selzer, Norman L. Block
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Patent number: 5837696Abstract: The invention is a method of inhibiting cancer growth, including cellular proliferation, invasiveness, or metastasis in mammals. The method employs 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-dedimethylaminotetracycline (CMT-3) and other functionally related chemically modified, preferably non-antibacterial, tetracycline compounds to inhibit cancer growth. The method is particularly effective to inhibit the establishment, growth, and metastasis of solid tumors, such as tumors derived from colon cancer cells, breast cancer cells, melanoma cells, prostatic carcinoma cells, or lung cancer cells.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 1997Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignees: The Research Foundation of State University of New York, University of MiamiInventors: Lorne M. Golub, Thomas F. McNamara, Nungavaram S. Ramamurthy, Hsi-Ming Lee, Sanford Simon, Balakrishna L. Lokeshwar, Marie G. Selzer, Norman L. Block
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Patent number: 5480434Abstract: An anastomotic method for connecting a biological duct, such as the ureter, to a man-made device. The method involves connecting the duct to the prosthesis via an intermediate tissue so there is no direct connection between the ureter and the prosthesis. The method includes securing the resected duct to a remote living tissue, such as the peritoneum or omentum, and then securing that tissue to the prosthesis so that the duct drains into the prosthesis.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 1993Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: The University of MiamiInventors: Eugene C. Eckstein, Norman L. Block
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Patent number: 4527293Abstract: Disclosed is a urological device comprising a polymeric prosthesis coated on its surface by a grafted or interpenetrated hydrogel copolymer comprising 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and a crosslinking agent, wherein each constituent of said copolymer is present in an amount selected from a defined range of mole fraction %. The hydrogel exhibits a shrink/swell behavior which varies with changing urine composition such that the polymer undergoes swelling and collapse in rapid response to said change and thereby prevents calcium encrustation. Also disclosed is a method for making the device.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1983Date of Patent: July 9, 1985Assignee: University of MiamiInventors: Eugene C. Eckstein, Norman L. Block, Jacob Kline, Leonard Pinchuk