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Biomarker to Determine Cancer Patient Response to mTOR Inhibitors

Technology Benefits

Noninvasive method that utilizes routinely processed patient samples such as serum, peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes, and tissue samples to identify patients who will respond to mTOR inhibitor therapy.

Technology Application

Identification of decreased VHL levels and the subsequent activation of the HIF pathway in cancer patients can help to predict responders and non-responders of mTOR inhibitor therapy.These biomarkers may be useful for treatment of different cancers since dysregulation of these pathways is also implicated in other cancers including adrenal, brain and ophthalmologic.

Detailed Technology Description

UCLA researchers in the laboratories of Drs. George Thomas and Charles Sawyers have found biomarkers that (1) identify kidney cancers that are likely to respond to mTOR inhibitors and (2) measure the efficacy of mTOR inhibitor treatment. Their research shows that decreased expression of the Von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL) is correlated to increased patient sensitivity to the mTOR inhibitor CCI-779, making it a strong biomarker for patients who will respond to treatment with mTOR inhibitors. Additionally, they found that downregulation of the transcription factor subunit HIF1α is a measure of efficacy for mTOR inhibitor treatments. These biomarkers are shown to be measured by several different noninvasive methods.

Application No.

9261498

Others

Background

Inhibitors to the protein kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) have been shown to prevent cancer cell growth and proliferation but are only effective in a subset of patients. A reliable, noninvasive biomarker that identifies kidney cancer patients who will likely respond to treatment with mTOR inhibitors could provide clinicians with a tool to better select the appropriate treatment for their patients.

 

Related Materials

Thomas GV, Tran C, Mellinghoff IK, et al.. Hypoxia-inducible factor determines sensitivity to inhibitors of mTOR in kidney cancer. Nature Medicine. 2005;12(1):122–127

Tech ID/UC Case

20164/2005-197-0

Related Cases

2005-197-0

*Abstract

None

*Applications

• Identification of decreased VHL levels and the subsequent activation of the HIF pathway in cancer patients can help to predict responders and non-responders of mTOR inhibitor therapy.
• These biomarkers may be useful for treatment of different cancers since dysregulation of these pathways is also implicated in other cancers including adrenal, brain and ophthalmologic.

 

*IP Issue Date

Feb 16, 2016

*Principal Investigator

Name: Charles Sawyers

Department:

Name: George Thomas

Department:

Country/Region

USA