The University of Lausanne is offering this technology for licensing or for collaboration. The technology is a method for the prevention of posterior capsule opacification following implant surgery.

Development Phase :
Preclinical

Patent Status :
Notice of allowance for the US patent dated August 11, 2000. US Divisional filed November 10, 2000. PCT filed, priority date June 3, 1997, status A3.

Patent Attorney :
Mintz & Levin, Boston, USA

Novelty and Benefits :

- The suicide gene HSV TK, is placed under the control of a promoter that is active exclusively in human lens epithelial cells
- The destruction of the lens epithelial cells is controlled externally by treatment with gancyclovir or acyclovir
- The lens capsular sac is impermeable to adenovirus, when intact
- The lens capsule is an immuno-privileged region
- An ideal complement to accommodating lens implants

Additional information is available

Somatic Gene Therapy to Suppress Secondary Cataract Formation Following Eye Surgery

(Ref. Number IDF 4.00)

The Technology :
Currently, there are 35 million people suffering from blindness, of which 17 million due to cataracts. Surgical insertion of lens implants very successfully allows recovery of vision in affected individuals. However, the development of posterior capsule opacification (secondary cataract) can reverse the process. The incidence of posterior capsule opacification following implant surgery is high, with 100% of children and adults of African origin and 35% to 50% of adults of Caucasian and Asian origin affected.

To date, the most effective treatment for secondary cataract is YAG laser capsulotomy. Unfortunately, this procedure is costly and can incur several contraindications including retinal detachment.

We propose a new treatment modality for prevention of posterior capsule opacification, using therapeutic somatic gene transfer. Our technology employs the herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase (TK) gene in combination with acyclovir to kill proliferating lens epithelial cells. The novelty of our method resides in the transcription control system : the HSV TK gene is placed under the control of a lens epithelial cell specific promoter. This leads to specific expression of TK only in lens epithelial cells, thus contributing to the high safety of this approach.

Applications :
Prevention of posterior capsule opacification following implant surgery.