Novel EphA4 Agonists for the Treatment of ALS
Tech ID: 33114 / UC Case 2020-246-0
Background
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is caused by the degeneration and death of motor neurons (MN). In patients with rapid ALS progression, the receptor tyrosine kinase, EphA4, is overexpressed. Studies have shown the unbound EphA4 causes pro-apoptotic activity and death in MNs. Additionally, EphA4 overexpression has been noted to correlate with the progression and resistance to chemotherapy of several human cancers including gastric, breast, and pancreatic cancers. The design of potent, selective, and effective EphA4 agonistic peptidomimetics may be desirable as therapies for ALS and cancer.
Brief Description
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in collaboration Nationwide Children’s Hospital have developed and characterized small peptidomimetics that act as EphA4 agonists. Given ALS is a heterogeneous disease, astrocytes reprogrammed from the fibroblasts of patients with sporadic and SOD1-linked ALS (iAstrocytes) were cultured with MNs and the UCR/Nationwide EphA4 agonists. As seen in Fig. 1, these small agonistic peptidomimetics decrease MN death in iAstrocytes derived from sporadic ALS (sALS) cells.
Application
- A potential treatment for ALS and cancer
Patent Status
| Country | Type | Number | Dated | Case |
| United States Of America | Published Application | 20230203096 | 06/29/2023 | 2020-246 |
Related Materials
Contact
- Grace Yee
- grace.yee@ucr.edu
- tel: View Phone Number.
Other Information
Keywords
EphA4, ALS, AD, cancer therapeutics, ephrin, diagnostic, Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, peptide
