CENTRO DI RIFERIMENTO ONCOLOGICO
Technology Transfer Opportunities Contact: Ermes Mestroni emestroni@cro.it
EPIGENETIC MARKERS OF PROGNOSIS AND RESPONSE TO THERAPY IN SOLID TUMORS Technology overview - EP11152864 The ever-growing need for a patient-tailored comprehensive approach in cancer is driving significant research efforts to identify new markers of disease prognosis and response to therapy. The availability of highly reliable and easily assessable prognostic tools is of critical relevance to identify patients at higher risk of a more unfavourable course of disease that may require a different follow-up and therapeutic intervention as compared to individuals with a more favourable prognosis. On the other hand, the availability of predictive markers of response to treatment will allow identifying the most appropriate therapeutic option for a given patient, avoiding unnecessary exposures to un-effective if not harmful drugs. Along this line, based on its long-standing scientific and technological skill in the filed of cancer epigenetics, the Advanced Immunotherapy Unit of CRO has undertaken the original approach of investigating epigenetic alterations, and in particular DNA methylation, as a tool to identify novel molecular prognostic and predictive markers in patients with solid malignancies, utilizing cutaneous melanoma as a “model disease�. These research themes are developed in tight collaboration with the Division of Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria of Siena (AOUS), Italy.
CENTRO DI RIFERIMENTO ONCOLOGICO
Technology Transfer Opportunities Contact: Ermes Mestroni emestroni@cro.it
Advantages 1) Well-acknowledged experience of the research group in the field of cancer epigenetics; 2) The laboratories of the Units routinely run well-established and validated quantitative technologies for DNA methylation assessment; 3) Far superior stability of DNA methylation markers in clinical samples as compared to RNA-based markers; 4) Applicability to different types of biological samples, including archival FFPE tissues.
Development stage 1) We have demonstrated that DNA methylation represents a molecular prognostic marker of clinical outcome in cutaneous melanoma; 2) A joint European patent application between CRO and the AOUS has been most recently submitted on the prognostic and predictive role of DNA methylation in melanoma (inventors Drs. Maio and Sigalotti).
Looking for Industrial partners interested in: ⇒ assignment or license agreements, ⇒ laboratory and clinical development of our technologies and products.
More Information Dr. Michele Maio Division of Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy (AOUS) Advanced Immunotherapy Unit (CRO) mmaio@cro.it Phone: +39-0577-586335 Phone: +39-0434-659342
Dr. Luca Sigalotti Advanced Immunotherapy Unit lsigalotti@cro.it Phone: +39-0434-659569