The University of Lausanne is offering this technology for licensing or for collaboration.

The technology allows the production of neuronal cells from human adult melanocyte cells precursors.

Development Phase :
Proof of principle in in-vitro cultures and preliminary animal testing

Patent Status :
A provisional patent application has been filed on 10 April 2001

Patent Attorney :
Mintz & Levin, Boston, USA

Novelty and Benefits :

- neuronal cells precursors of human origin

- neuronal cells precursors of non-foetal origin

Additional information is available upon request.

Contact :

Marjory Hunt, PhD
tel: +41-21-314-4958
fax: +41-21-314-4957

Pactt

Office of Technology Transfer
University of Lausanne and University Hospitals
21, Rue du Bugnon
Ch-1005 Lausanne
e-mail: marjory.hunt@hospvd.ch

Neurone cells from the adult human eye melanocytes

(Ref. Number IDF 10.01)

The Technology :
Isolation of cells able to generate neurones at large scale from adult human has proved very difficult. Essentially, neuronal precursors have great potentials in the treatment of various neuropathies as well as research tools or as drug screening systems. Because the retina belongs to the CNS, the possibility that some neuronal progenitors remain during adulthood was explored, with success.

The technology consists in melanocyte cultures capable of differentiating into neuronal cells with a typical neuronal phenotype (morphology, antigen markers and mRNA expression). This phenotype is retained through at least 11 generations, with the same ability to produce neurones.

Applications :
Applications are: a model for the study of human neurogenesis, an important source of neurones for transplantation in the retina and the CNS, a source of material for gene and drug screeningand bio-chips development.

This technology should also be of interest to Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies involved in the production of human cell lines transplants, as well as for research and development related to gene therapy (ex vivo or in vivo).