Patents Assigned to The Burnham Institute
  • Publication number: 20090247520
    Abstract: A method to identify selective inhibitors of antigen receptor-mediated NF-?B activation is provided, as well as compositions having one or more of those inhibitors and methods of using those inhibitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicants: The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, The Human Biomolecular Research Institute
    Inventors: John C. REED, Ranxin SHI, John R. Cashman, Karl J. OKOLOTOWICZ, Daniel RE
  • Publication number: 20090246133
    Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods useful for targeting tissue undergoing angiogenesis or to cells or tissue expressing ?v integrins. The compositions and methods are based on peptide sequences that selectively bind to and home to tissue undergoing angiogenesis or to cells or tissue expressing ?v integrins in animals. The disclosed targeting is useful for delivering therapeutic and detectable agents to tissue experiencing angiogenesis or to cells or tissue expressing ?v integrins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Erkki Ruoslahti, Tambet Teesalu, Kazuki Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20090233993
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods relating to peptides. The peptides can inhibit amyloid beta (A?) generation and reduce GSK-3 activities. Further provided are compositions and methods for treating or preventing, for example, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and diabetes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Huaxi Xu, Limin Li, Francesca-Fang Liao, Yun-wu Zhang, Wu-bo Li, Paul Greengard, Stanley N. Cohen
  • Patent number: 7588914
    Abstract: The invention provides isolated Bcl-2 domain-containing polypeptides from Mycobacterial species, including M. tuberculosis, M. avium, M. bovis, M. leprae and M. smegmatis, and from Streptomyces species, including S. coelicolor, as well as modifications of such polypeptides, functional fragments therefrom, encoding nucleic acid molecules and specific antibodies. Also provided are methods for identifying polypeptides and compounds that associate with or modulate the activity of the Bcl-2 domain-containing polypeptides. Further provided are methods of modulating apoptosis and treating pathological conditions using the described nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides and compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Adam Godzik, John C. Reed
  • Publication number: 20090226372
    Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods useful for targeting and internalizing molecules into cells of interest and for penetration by molecules of tissues of interest. The compositions and methods are based on peptide sequences that are selectively internalized by a cell, penetrate tissue, or both. The disclosed internalization and tissue penetration is useful for delivering therapeutic and detectable agents to cells and tissues of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Erkki Ruoslahti, Tambet Teesalu, Kazuki Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7582438
    Abstract: The application is related to the identification of peptides that selectively bind to Eph receptors of the B class. Also disclosed are uses of such peptides in the treatment of a variety of diseases. Additionally, imaging tumors in patients is described by administrating labeled peptides to patients and then obtaining an image of the labeled peptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Elena B. Pasquale, Mitchell Koolpe
  • Publication number: 20090214429
    Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods useful for targeting tumors, sites of injury and blood clots. The compositions and methods are based on peptide sequences that selectively bind to and home to tumors, sites of injury and blood clots in animals. The disclosed targeting is useful for delivering therapeutic and detectable agents to tumors, sites of injury and blood clots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Erkki Ruoslahti, Jan Pilch
  • Publication number: 20090215984
    Abstract: Compounds that modulate the function of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL are identified. These compounds have the ability to convert the activity of Bcl-2-family member proteins from anti-apoptotic to pro-apoptotic. Methods for inducing apoptosis are described, together with methods for identifying molecules that induce apoptosis through interaction with Bcl-2-family members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: The Burnham Institute
    Inventors: John C. Reed, Xiao-kun Zhang, Bin Guo, Bingzhen Lin, Siva Kumar Kolluri
  • Publication number: 20090191223
    Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of isolated peptides and peptidomimetics, which can be useful, for example, in constructing the conjugates of the invention or, where the peptide itself has biological activity, in unconjugated form as a therapeutic for treating any of a variety of cardiovascular diseases as described below. Thus, the present invention provides an isolated peptide or peptidomimetic which has a length of less than 60 residues and includes the amino acid sequence CRPPR (SEQ ID NO: 1) or a peptidomimetic thereof. The invention further provides an isolated peptide or peptidomimetic which has a length of less than 60 residues and includes the amino acid sequence CARPAR (SEQ ID NO: 5) or a peptidomimetic thereof, or amino acid sequence CPKRPR (SEQ ID NO: 6) or a peptidomimetic thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Lianglin Zhang, Jason A. Hoffman, Erkki Ruoslahti
  • Patent number: 7560242
    Abstract: Metadherin, a protein that controls metastasis, and variants of metadherin are described. DNA sequences encoding the same and methods of production are described. Therapies involving the application of metadherin, binding agents that bind to metadherin, such as antibodies, and expression modulating agents, such as siRNA, are described. The use of metadherin or metadherin variants for delivering desired substances to particular lung tissue is described. A method of diagnosing metastatic cells based on the presence of metadherin is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: The Burnham Institute
    Inventors: Erkki Ruoslahti, Darren M. Brown
  • Publication number: 20090163577
    Abstract: The cytotoxic natural product gambogic acid (GA) competes for BH3 peptide binding sites on several anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins and neutralizes the ability of these proteins to suppress release of apoptogenic proteins from isolated mitochondria. Structure-function analysis of GA using analogs suggested a general correlation between BH3 competition and cytoxicity activity. Compositions and methods are provided for using GA and its derivatives for treating cancer and for discovering other compounds that are useful for treating cancer through their interaction with Bcl-2-family proteins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: John C. Reed, Dayong Zhai
  • Publication number: 20090155828
    Abstract: Proteins specific for prostate epithelial cells, normal or neoplastic, are identified and used for diagnosis, development of antibodies, and for evaluating drugs that react with the neoplastic specific proteins. Affinity based probes are used that react specifically with the active site to provide a measure of the enzyme activity of the cells. Prostate epithelial neoplastic cells can be used in screening candidate drugs for their effect in changing the proteome profile as to the serine-threonine hydrolase enzymes, using the affinity based probes for determining the profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: The Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Smith, Steven J. Kridel, Fumiko T. Axelrod
  • Patent number: 7544767
    Abstract: The present invention provides a conjugate which contains a therapeutic moiety linked to a homing molecule that selectively homes to tumor blood vessels and tumor cells and that specifically binds the receptor bound by peptide KDEPQRRSARLSAKPAPPKPEPKPKKAPAKK (SEQ ID NO: 9). Methods of directing a conjugate of the invention to tumor blood vessels and tumor cells and of using a conjugate to treat cancer also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventors: Erkki Ruoslahti, Kimmo Porkka, Sven Christian
  • Patent number: 7544478
    Abstract: Discovered is a novel protein and variants thereof whose activity at the NMDA receptor causes an increased efflux of calcium ions through the channel of said receptor. This activity is downregulated by the NR3A subunit of NMDA. Also discovered are the nucleic acid sequences encoding said novel protein and variants thereof. The discovery is useful for the diagnosing of NMDA receptor dysregulation and the treatment of NMDA receptor dysregulation related disorders. In addition, the discovery is useful for the further discovery of modulators affecting the activity of the novel protein and variants thereof at the NMDA receptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: The Burnham Institute
    Inventors: Nobuki Nakanishi, Gang Tong, Shichun Tu
  • Publication number: 20090142347
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of mineralization, and specifically to the role of TNAP in regulating the levels of extracellular inorganic pyrophosphate. The invention provides methods for modulating the activity of TNAP activity; methods for screening for modulators of TNAP activity; modulators of TNAP activity; and methods for treating pathologic conditions known of suspected to be affected by modulation of TNAP activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: THE BURNHAM INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH
    Inventor: José Luis Millan
  • Patent number: 7537911
    Abstract: The invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule having substantially the same nucleotide sequence as SEQ ID NO:1. Also provided is an isolated oligonucleotide having at least 15 contiguous nucleotides of a nucleotide sequence referenced as SEQ ID NO:11. An isolated polypeptide having substantially the same amino acid sequence as SEQ ID NO:2 is further provided as well as an antibody, or antigen binding fragment thereof, which specifically binds to an ATX polypeptide and has an amino acid sequence as referenced in SEQ ID NO:2. A method for identifying an ATX-modulatory compound is additionally provided. The method consists of measuring the level of an ATX polypeptide in the presence of a test compound, wherein a difference in the level of said ATX polypeptide in the presence of said test compound compared to in the absence of said test compound indicating that said test compound is an ATX-modulatory compound, and wherein said ATX-modulatory compound is not caffeine or wortmannin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignees: Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Duke University
    Inventors: Robert T. Abraham, Diane M. Otterness
  • Publication number: 20090131646
    Abstract: The present invention provides a family of BAG-1 related proteins from humans (BAG-1L, BAG-1, BAG-2, BAG-3, BAG-4 and BAG-5), the invertebrate C. elegans (BAG-1, BAG-2) and the fission yeast S. pombe (BAG-1A, BAG-1B) and the nucleic acid molecules that encode them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: The Burnham Institute
    Inventors: John C. Reed, Shinichi Takayama
  • Publication number: 20090124621
    Abstract: The present invention provides compounds having the general structure I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein X is a six-member ring selected from phenyl, pyridine, or pyrimidine; Y is H, an alkenyl, a substituted alkenyl, or alkynyl, and R is H or alkyl. Pharmaceutical compositions for treating various disorders such as cancers, the compositions including compound I are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventor: Maurizio Pellecchia
  • Publication number: 20090124675
    Abstract: Various compounds comprising a thiazolidine ring are described as well as the use of such compounds to inhibit at least one BCL-2 protein family member. One of the compounds described has the structure the structure A, wherein each of R1, and R2 comprises hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted straight-chained aliphatic group, a halogen, an alkoxyl, a halogen-substituted alkyl, a halogen-substituted alkoxyl, hydroxyl, carboxyl, cyano group, an amido group, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloaliphatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; X comprises oxygen, sulfur, or imino group; and Z comprises a moiety such as naphthaline or dehydronaphthaline, among others.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Burnham Institute for Medical Research
    Inventor: Maurizio Pellecchia
  • Publication number: 20090124681
    Abstract: The present invention provides compounds having the general structure A, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof: wherein R is an alkyl group, and R1 comprises at least one moiety selected from a group consisting of an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aryl, a heterocycle, hydroxyl, ester, amido, aldehyde, and a halogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicants: Burnham Institute for Medical Research, The Texas A & M University System
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Smith, Daniel Romo, Gil Ma, Manuel Zancanella