Development Phase : Research

Patent Status : EP Patent Application pending
Applications:

Dermatology (nevi, melanoma prevention and protection from accumulation of sun-damaged melanocytes plus non-invasive removal of melanomas)

Cosmetics (prevention and elimination of hyperpigmentation, skin spots such as age-related brown spots, lentigos)

Allergies (by inhibition of recruitment of mast cells, application for skin allergies, skin hypersensitivity and asthma)

New therapeutic approaches for treatment of pathological conditions such as allergies, chronic inflammation, osteoporosis, hyperpigmented lesions

Benefits :
Active approach to protection from sun-induced skin pathologies (sun-blocking creams currently available on the market act passively to protect the skin from harmful effect of UV irradiation)

Specific inhibition of development or removal of skin tumors and melanocytes

Few side effects due to possibility of local and time-controlled application of inhibitors.

References :
J Biol Chem (2001) 276, 12667-12674.

Contact :

Dr. Alexandra Richardson
tel: +41-22-705-7258
fax: +41-22-329-4290
Unitec
Office of Technology Transfer
University of Geneva
24 rue du General Dufour
Ch-1211 Geneva 4/Switzerland

e-mail: alexandra.richardson@unige.ch

A method to treat melanocyte pathologies and allergies of the skin

Kit-ligand (Kitl, also known as Stem cell factor or mast cell growth factor) is a membrane-anchored growth factor that is expressed in keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts. Kitl is expressed on the basolateral surface of the polarized keratinocytes and binds to the receptor tyrosine kinase (c-kit) expressed on the cell surface of melanocytes that are associated with the basal keratinocytes. Kitl expression levels control melanocyte proliferation, survival, migration, and expression of melanin producing enzymes. Using a site-directed mutaganesis approach, Dr. Wehrle-Haller and Prof. Imhof at the University of Geneva have recently identified two features of the cytpolasmic tail of Kitl that specifically dictate 1) the basolateral expression of Kitl in polarized tissues and 2) its retention in the plasma membrane. Alteration of the overall cell surface expression and/or polarized localization of Kitl have direct consequences on the behavior of melanocytes in the epidermis. For example, leading to the reduction of melanocyte numbers in lentigo, lentigo senilis and nevi. We are seeking collaborators to help identify specific inhibitors, which specifically recognize one or both of the Kitl determinants, and that can be incorporated into topically applied skin creams or patches to locally and specifically treat various forms of lentigos (age-related brown spots) and remove sun-damaged melanocytes or melanoma cells. In addition, application of these specific inhibitors to dermal fibroblasts will prevent allergic reactions of the skin normally induced by Kitl dependent recruitment of mast cells.