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Cancer Biomarker & Target Neuromedin U, Marker and Target for Responsiveness and Resistance to HER-­‐targe<ng An<-­‐cancer Agents Overview • 
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have discovered a novel marker, NeuromedinU (NmU), that has clinical poten?al as a target and poor-­‐prognos?c biomarker for cancer that is directly associated with responsiveness and/or resistance to certain cancer targe?ng agents; thus also a predic?ve/companion biomarker • 
NmU, a highly conserved 25 amino acid neurope?de present in humans and many species, has been detected in some cancers; but with differing associa?ons. • 
Increased levels of NmU have been associated with AML, with pancrea?c cancers, through studies of ovarian cancer cell lines and some lung cancers, but decreased in oral cancers and suggested to be a tumour suppressor gene from studies of oesophageal cancer cell lines;. • 
The technology is based on the novel finding that NmU is associated with breast cancer in general and, in par?cular, with HER2-­‐posi?ve cancers. HER2 is over-­‐
expressed in approximately 25% of breast cancers and is associated with higher aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Advantages • 
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NmU may offer a personalised approach to trea?ng pa?ents, specifically pa?ents with HER2 posi?ve cancers. It is important to determine the poten?al success rate of a par?cular treatment for a pa?ent by developing companion biomarkers for drugs NmU may help to overcome the problem of pa?ents receiving certain an?-­‐cancer agents from which they derive no benefit, and also meet the increasing demand for improved pa?ent outcomes. Technology Status • 
Through analysis of mRNA expression in 4607 breast tumours, NmU was correlated with HER2-­‐pos?ve cancers and to be associated with poorer survival outcome for those pa?ents (A). • 
Studies have shown that in breast cancer cell lines innately resistant to HER-­‐targe?ng drugs, NmU is present at significantly higher levels, in the cells and in their environment (“condi?oned medium”) • 
NmU was also observed at higher expression levels in cell lines (and condi?oned medium) with acquired resistant to a range of HER-­‐
targe?ng drugs • 
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Market Diagnos?cs Introducing NmU into cells confers resistance to HER-­‐targe?ng (B(i) increased lapa?nib-­‐
resistance shown); its knock-­‐down partly sensi?zes resistant cells to the effects of these drug ((B(i)) NmU was found to be associated with increased “aggressive” cellular characteris?cs including increased movement of cells; invasion (B(iii)&(iv)); and resistance to anoikis (a form of apoptosis). US14/352,260 IP Status US and EP na?onalised patents pending EP 12787389.1 Opportunity Research collabora?on, Available to license
(B)
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(i)
Applica,ons • 
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The technology is both a prognos?c biomarker and a companion/ biomarker for the predic?on of successful responsiveness of specific an?-­‐cancer (HER-­‐targe?ng) agents. NmU is poten?ally a cell marker of resistance and ac?vely involved in the resistance mechanism. NmU has the poten?al to be used as minimally-­‐invasive circula?ng predic?ve biomarker NmU has poten?al as a useful therapeu?c target for treatment of cancer. Researcher(s) *
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(ii)
Dr. Lorraine O’Driscoll Contact Dr. Emily Vereker, (iii)
(iv)
Case Manager, Life Sciences [email protected] The opportunity The technology currently is available for to industry partners wishing to collaborate and/or license the technology for development and the market. +353 1 896 4152 Reference: LO02-­‐354-­‐01