Office of Technology Management
Assay for the
detection of Taxol-resistant cells in human tumors
Summary:
As
with most cancer chemotherapeutic drugs, the sensitivity of cancer patients
to taxane therapy decreases over a period of time that is shorter than
the life of the disease. Thus, a simple assay to assess a patient's
sensitivity to taxanes would diminish the time during which limited or
no chemotherapeutic benefits are achieved from taxane administration.
The UTHSCH has developed such an assay, the implementation of which will
allow clinicians to screen cancer patients, prior to and during taxane
administration, to monitor their patients’ taxane-sensitivity and to allow
the most timely administration of alternative therapy when taxane-resistance
is detected. This UTHSCH-owned technology describes the development
and utility of a diagnostic assay with sufficient sensitivity to assess
Taxol-resistant cells in tumor biopsies or extracted nucleic acids.
This taxane-resistance detection technology will be of great value to patients,
physicians and the corporate licensee.
Technology Status:
This
patent has been exclusively licensed from UT-Houston Health Science Center.
Patent Status:
Patent
pending.
Inventor:
Fernando
Cabral, Ph.D.
Publication: