Patents by Inventor Monte S. Willis

Monte S. Willis 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).

  • Small peptide compositions and uses thereof
    Patent number: 12465630
    Abstract: Interferon-?-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) peptides, IP-10 peptide variants and in silico designed C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) peptide agonists are described. The small peptides can be used for inhibiting pathological tissue remodeling and treating fibrosis in a subject, such as a subject with fibrosis of the heart, lung, liver, kidney or skin. The peptide agonists can also be used to treat cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Also described are in silico designed peptide antagonists that bind CXCR3 or ligands of CXCR3. These antagonist peptides block CXCR3 signaling by disrupting interaction of CXCR3 with its ligand. Antagonist peptides can be used, for example, to treat myocarditis and atherosclerosis. In additional embodiments agonists and antagonists of CXCR4 are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2024
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2025
    Assignees: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Tuskegee University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Cecelia C. Yates-Binder, Jesse Jaynes, Monte S. Willis, Richard J. Bodnar, Zariel I. Johnson
  • CXC CHEMOKINE AGONISTS AND ANTAGONISTS IN COVID-19 DISEASE AND DIAGNOSTIC ASSAYS
    Publication number: 20240325496
    Abstract: Methods of treating a disease, disorder or syndrome associated with a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (such as COVID-19) in a subject by administering one or more C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) antagonist peptides are described. Diagnostic methods for enhancing replication of SARS-CoV-2 in cultured cells and/or detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in cultured cells by contacting the cells with a CXCR3 agonist peptide are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicants: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, The Trustees of Indiana University
    Inventors: Cecelia C. Yates, Monte S. Willis
  • SMALL PEPTIDE COMPOSITIONS AND USES THEREOF
    Publication number: 20240197830
    Abstract: Interferon-?-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) peptides, IP-10 peptide variants and in silico designed C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) peptide agonists are described. The small peptides can be used for inhibiting pathological tissue remodeling and treating fibrosis in a subject, such as a subject with fibrosis of the heart, lung, liver, kidney or skin. The peptide agonists can also be used to treat cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Also described are in silico designed peptide antagonists that bind CXCR3 or ligands of CXCR3. These antagonist peptides block CXCR3 signaling by disrupting interaction of CXCR3 with its ligand. Antagonist peptides can be used, for example, to treat myocarditis and atherosclerosis. In additional embodiments agonists and antagonists of CXCR4 are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2024
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Applicants: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Tuskegee University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Cecelia C. Yates-Binder, Jesse Jaynes, Monte S. Willis, Richard J. Bodnar, Zariel I. Johnson
  • SMALL PEPTIDE COMPOSITIONS AND USES THEREOF
    Publication number: 20190298802
    Abstract: Interferon-?-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) peptides, IP-10 peptide variants and in silico designed C—X—C chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) peptide agonists are described. The small peptides can be used for inhibiting pathological tissue remodeling and treating fibrosis in a subject, such as a subject with fibrosis of the heart, lung, liver, kidney or skin. The peptide agonists can also be used to treat cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Also described are in silico designed peptide antagonists that bind CXCR3 or ligands of CXCR3. These antagonist peptides block CXCR3 signaling by disrupting interaction of CXCR3 with its ligand. Antagonist peptides can be used, for example, to treat myocarditis and atherosclerosis. In additional embodiments agonists and antagonists of CXCR4 are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicants: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Tuskegee University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Cecelia C. Yates-Binder, Jesse Jaynes, Monte S. Willis, Richard J. Bodnar, Zariel I. Johnson
  • Method of Treatment and Bioassay Involving Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) as Cardiac-Derived Myocardial Depressant Factor
    Publication number: 20150017179
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-MIF antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount at least one anti-CD74 antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-TNFR antibody; a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-MIF antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Other embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of treating or preventing cardiac dysfunction, cardiodepression, burn injury-associated cardiac dysfunction, improving cardiac function in a subject following acute myocardial infarction, and identifying an MIF inhibitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Brett P. GIROIR, Monte S. WILLIS, Vidal F. DE LA CRUZ, JR., Thais M. SIELECKI-DZURDZ
  • Method of treatment and bioassay involving macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) as cardiac-derived myocardial depressant factor
    Patent number: 8747843
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-MIF antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount at least one anti-CD74 antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-TNFR antibody; a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-MIF antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Other embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of treating or preventing cardiac dysfunction, cardiodepression, burn injury-associated cardiac dysfunction, improving cardiac function in a subject following acute myocardial infarction, and identifying an MIF inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Baxter International, Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Brett P. Giroir, Monte S. Willis, Vidal F. De La Cruz, Jr., Thais M. Sielecki-Dzurdz
  • Method of Treatment and Bioassay Involving Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) as Cardiac-Derived Myocardial Depressant Factor
    Publication number: 20080260723
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-MIF antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount at least one anti-CD74 antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which includes a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-TNFR antibody; a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-MIF antibody; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Other embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of treating or preventing cardiac dysfunction, cardiodepression, burn injury-associated cardiac dysfunction, improving cardiac function in a subject following acute myocardial infarction, and identifying an MIF inhibitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicants: Cytokine PharmaSciences, Inc., Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Brett P. Giroir, Monte S. Willis, Vidal F. De La Cruz, Thais M. Sielecki-Dzurdz