Healthcare Industry News: Angiogenesis
News Release - February 28, 2007
Vascular BioSciences Extends Patent Portfolio
Signs Exclusive IP License Agreement with the Burnham Institute for Medical ResearchSAN DIEGO--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Vascular BioSciences announced today that it has secured a worldwide exclusive license to intellectual property from Burnham Institute for Medical Research relating to work done by Erkki Ruoslahti M.D Ph.D., and Masanobu Komatsu, Ph.D. on their discovery of the role of the intracellular protein R-Ras in neointimal hyperplasia, Angiogenesis and vascular proliferation. Drs. Komatsu and Ruoslahti found that R-Ras exerts a strong inhibitory effect on mitotic and invasive activities of activated endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells, and promotes quiescence of these cells.
The discovery of this unexpected role for R-Ras in blood vessel homeostasis will enable Vascular BioSciences to target R-Ras signaling for therapeutic intervention in a wide range of disorders characterized by pathological vascular remodeling, vascular cell proliferation and endothelial activation. Such diseases include atherosclerosis, sepsis, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, diabetic vasculopathies, acute respiratory distress syndrome, post-angioplasty restenosis, collagen vascular diseases and other conditions. The ability of R-Ras to promote vascular quiescence may also be useful in anti-Angiogenesis therapies for cancer and the engineering of mature blood vessels.
David Mann, CEO and Chairman of Vascular BioSciences, commented, "This license agreement with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research represents an extremely important expansion to our existing intellectual property portfolio and product pipeline. In addition to securing this valuable worldwide exclusive license, we gain the ability to work closely with internationally renowned scientists like Drs. Komatsu and Ruoslahti to develop novel innovative treatments for vascular diseases."
Dr. Erkki Ruoslahti, Distinguished Professor and former President of Burnham Institute for Medical Research, commented, "I believe that R-Ras opens up some entirely new possibilities for the treatment of vascular diseases and look forward to working with Vascular BioSciences on further development of this technology."
Vascular BioSciences, a diversified biomedical company based in San Diego, California, provides solutions for vascular-based diseases in order to enhance and prolong human life. Vascular BioSciences makes interventional catheters to obtain endoarterial biopsies, provides diagnostic services, and advances therapies in order to improve outcomes for vascular-based disease patients.
A newly formed majority-owned subsidiary, VBS Pharmaceuticals, has been created to provide a framework for Vascular Biosciences to engage in drug discovery and pharmaceutical development targeting vascular-based diseases.
Source: Vascular BioSciences
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