Description:
Technology: Inventors at MUSC have developed methods for treatment of cancers, particularly bladder, genitourinary, or pancreatic cancers that involve overexpression of thromboxane receptor β (TP-β). Compounds that block the synthesis of thromboxane A2 or thromboxane A2 signaling pathway alone, or in combination with standard chemotherapy drugs, are utilized to treat invasive cancers. The compounds include thromboxane receptor (TP-β) antagonists or thromboxane synthase (TXAS) inhibitors or drugs that have dual activities. The combination of a TP-β receptor antagonist or TXAS inhibitor has the potential to decrease nephrotoxicity associated with some chemotherapeutic agents. Inventors have identified a specific class of thromboxane synthase inhibitors and TP-β receptor antagonists that inhibit cancer cell proliferation and metastatic properties. Inventors have demonstrated that adding a TP-β receptor antagonist to a cisplatin regimen augments the chemotherapeutic effect of cisplatin, while potentially reducing cisplatin’s side effects.

Overview: Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the United States accounting for about 4.6% of all cases. It is estimated that there will be approximately 75,000 new cases each year with a 25% mortality rate Bladder cancer has two main forms, non-invasive which lacks invasion into surrounding muscle tissue and is the more common form accounting for 70% of all cases and muscle invasive in which it spreads into surrounding urinary areas and may metastasize.
Applications: Bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, genitourinary cancers
Advantages: Used as a supplement to conventional cancer therapies for aggressive genitourinary cancers
Key Words: Cancer, bladder, thromboxane, therapeutic, chemotherapy, receptor antagonist, synthase inhibitors
Publications: Moussa, Omar, et al. "Urinary thromboxane β2 and thromboxane receptors in bladder cancer: Opportunity for detection and monitoring." Prostaglandins & other lipid mediators 96.1 (2011): 41-44.
Sobolesky, Philip, et al. “Regulation of the tumor suppressor FOXO3 by the thromboxane-A2 receptors in urothelial cancer.” PLos One (2014).
Inventors: Omar Moussa, Dennis Watson, & Perry Halushka
Patent Status: US Patent 8,551,489
MUSC-FRD Technology ID: P0817