Preventing Bone Loss

SLU ID 12-013 | Suppression of Bone Loss by Introducing TcREG

Background

Currently, one way in which inflammation and bone-loss-based diseases, such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontitis, Paget’s disease and bone cancers, are treated is through multiple classes of antiinflammatory agents including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, and biologics that mediate the TNFα blockade. These forms of treatment address the effects of the disease (i. e., reduce inflammation) but do not directly counteract the underlying bone loss. Generally, these forms of treatment are effective in only about 30 to 50 percent of patients. Moreover, these classes of anti-inflammatory agents also have severe safety and adverse reaction issues, which tend to limit their use in specific populations.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have developed devices, methods, treatments and processes for suppressing bone loss and inflammation in individuals. The approach exploits the bi-directional regulatory loop between osteoclasts and FoxP3+ CD8 T-cells through cell-based therapies, biologics, small molecule agonists, or other known methodologies to suppress bone loss, control inflammatory responses and illicit certain desired responses from the human immunological and skeletal systems. It can be induced in situ at the site of inflammation and bone erosion.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Minimizing inflammation

• Minimizing bone loss

• Increasing bone formation

• Increasing the effectiveness of treatments

• Increasing the percentage of patients for which treatments are effective

• Minimizing adverse effects of treatments

Applications

This technology has potential applications for treating several diseases including:

• Osteoporosis

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Periodontitis

• Paget’s disease

• Bone cancers

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking a partner to further develop and commercialize this technology.