Their work came to a critical point earlier this year. They had already iled for patent of the discovery in Sweden in 2013, and the time for a "national stage filing", an extension fo the patent to cover Europe, India, China, USA and other countries, was running out of time. it is quite expensive and costs several thousands of US dollars per region. To cover this, and to finance a continuation of the preclinical program, they were during the spring in contact with several potentially interested organizations.
Commercial potential
Just in time for Midsummer they received the good news - they received a "pre-seed grant" from Novo Seeds, which is connected to the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The pre-seed grants support early-stage applied ground-breaking research that shows commercial potential and is given to researchers at universities or medical staff at hospitals with the aim to mature the project for a seed investment.
- Thanks to the grant that will cover the expenss of the national stage filing, we will now be able to continue the preclincial studies and study the effects in daibetes and cardiovascular disease, says Jens Lagerstedt.
First publication
jens Lagerstedt leads the research group which demonstrated that apoA-1 have similar effect on the absorption of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream as insulin. They could show (see link below) which part of apoA-1 is contributing to the increased glucose uptake in muscle. ApoA-1 consists of 243 amino acids and in their studies they found that it is the 54 last amino acids, whcih make up the peptide responsible for the activity.
To adapt the peptide (which is a string of amino acids) so that it can be produced synthetically, and to make it shorter and more soluble so that it can be better taken up by the body in the form of a medicament requires continuing efforts.
- A positive side effect was that it also had the cholesterol-lowering properties, which have positive effects on the heart and arteries, says karin Stenkula and adds that they now will examine whether the peptide can lead to improvements in heart and vessels by analyzing the aorta for the presence of plaque.
- We will treat animals with the peptides and study the plasma levels of lipids, including cholesterol, and finally look at whether the treated animals develop a smaller degree of atheroslerosis, says Jens Lagerstedt.
Additional funding
If they succeed in developing new and better data, they may be given additional funding from Novo Seeds and at that point continue the drug development program together with a pharmaceutical company.
- The university is not designed to pursue drug discovery in the extension required, says Karin Stenkula.
Both she and Jens Lagerstedt are delighted with the support LUDC´s Innovation Board has given over the years.
- Insightful support and the money invested initially, and Annie chandy (innovation manager) has ben an inexhaustible positive source and a bridge between us and the companies we have been negotiating with, Karin Stenkula ends.
Facts/ApoA-I
Lipoproteins consist of a group of proteins that are to transport lipds in the blood, HDL, known as good cholesterol, is a kind of lipoprtoeins whose coomponents consist mainly of apolipoprotein A-I, ie apoA-I. ApoA-1 has been found to have the same effect on glucose uptake in muscle issue as insulin. Insulin stimulates the body cells to take up glucose from the blood after a eal by creating a passage in cell specific for glucose. Too high levels of glucose in the blood can lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- Discoidal HDL and apoA-I-derived peptides improve glucose uptake in skeletal muscle (Journal of Lipid Research)
Timeline
2008 concept and application for Assistant Professorship program from teh Swedish Research Council
2009 Start of research project
2013 Initial findings and publications
2014 PCT for Europe
2015 National Stage filing
More about patenting from the Innovation office