New therapeutic for liver disease, NASH

An unmet medical need

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an advanced form of fatty liver disease that is expected to become the major cause of liver transplantation in the US by 2025. There is an enormous unmet medical need to treat the disease because of its high prevalence and lack of treatment options: there are currently no approved therapeutics for NASH. We are developing a novel therapeutic based on our unique knowledge of an intercellular pathway associated with NASH.

Areas of application

Over 25% of adults worldwide have non-alcoholic fatty liver, and 10-30% of these people will progress to the more serious disease, NASH. Our therapeutic targets this latter population, who currently have no approved treatment options beyond lifestyle changes.

Advantage

NASH has typically been complicated to treat because there are multiple challenges:

  • fat accumulation
  • inflammation
  • liver scarring

We use our knowledge of intercellular pathways to target all three disease hallmarks for the first time.

Opportunities for Collaboration

Our data in animals and human cells support targeting NASH via a newly-discovered intercellular pathway. We are open to partnering to accelerate pre-clinical and clinical development based on these promising results.

Universitetet i Tromsø

Contact information

Foto: Marius Fiskum

Bronwyn Smithies

Forretningsutvikler | Tech Transfer

bronwyn@norinnova.no
Tlf. 412 47 420

Les om andre prosjekter:

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– Based on the Aliivibrio wodanis chassis (PsyXpress) The challenge The main challenge in protein production is to achieve optimal solubility, activity …

Instant volume microscopy The SOLIS Microscope A new type of fluorescence microscope that combines the best aspects of confocal with light-sheet microscopy. SOLIS …

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– Multi-option distributed computing solutions for super-resolution imaging The MUSICAL technology MUSICAL is an imaging software that makes super-resolution optical microscopy available …

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Tau-on-Chip: nanofluidic amyloid aggregation within seconds

– Nanofluidic amyloid aggregation within seconds

About the technology

On-demand production of protein aggregates: We produce oligomers and fibrils within seconds in a nanofluidic environment. This has potential for high throughput screening of drug candidates, automated in-vitro assays, and binding assays with single molecule sensitivity.

Areas of application

We envisage producing the nanofluidic Tau-on- Chip devices for use in drug development, clinical trials, research, and protein production.

Value proposition

  • Single molecule sensitivity.
  • For use in drug development, clinical trials, research, and protein production.
  • Patent pending.
Bilde microfluidic
Image: Microfluidic chips fabricated on glass slides.
Image: Induced fibrillation and oligomerization events in seconds.

Opportunities for Collaboration

We are looking for industry partners for collaboration and licensing. We are open to working together on the development of our Tau-on-Chip technology to accomodate your needs.

Resources and partners

Universitetet i Tromsø

Contact information

Foto: Marius Fiskum

Ellen Dybdahl

Forretningsutvikler | Tech Transfer

ellen@norinnova.no
Tlf. 974 79 260

Les om andre prosjekter:

About the technology SMOLTR is a smolt-verification tool to be utilized in the smoltification process of salmon. Data indicates that this technology …

– Based on the Aliivibrio wodanis chassis (PsyXpress) The challenge The main challenge in protein production is to achieve optimal solubility, activity …

Instant volume microscopy The SOLIS Microscope A new type of fluorescence microscope that combines the best aspects of confocal with light-sheet microscopy. SOLIS …

Superior gas monitoring and measurement Industry challenges Traditional gas sensing with absorption spectroscopy uses large multi-pass cells containing a sample gas, through …

– Multi-option distributed computing solutions for super-resolution imaging The MUSICAL technology MUSICAL is an imaging software that makes super-resolution optical microscopy available …

Sperm filtration for improved success rate of assisted reproduction technology About the technology With current automated or manual IVF methods focusing on …

MicroRNAs for reduced bleeding risk in Venous thromboembolism patients

– MicroRNAs for risk assessment and treatment of venous thromboembolism

The challenge

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a highly prevalent disease, affecting around 1.1 million individuals in Europe each year, with 540,000 associated deaths. No modifiable risk-factors have been identified yet. The current anti-coagulant treatment is associated with serious bleeding risks. We therefore need to find a drug that prevents VTE without serious side affects.

Our approach

  •  Specific microRNAs associated with a higher risk of VTE were found
  • Targeted intervention of these microRNAs has the potential to effectively prevent VTE
  • Treatment of VTE with microRNA therapeutic without bleeding risk

Opportunities for Collaboration​

  • Searching for a collaborative R&D deal with industrial partner
  • Looking for a pharmaceutical partner with the expertise, commitment and financial strength to take it through the clinical phase and into the market.

Results

  • Population study

A pilot and a validation study show that specific miRNAs can be potential predictors of VTE and the risk of VTE is highly associated with miRNA level.

  • In-vivo mouse model for venous thrombosis

The addition of a specific miRNA show reduction in thrombose size in a in-vivo mouse model

  • Patent application for the technology is filed
Figure: VTE is a serious and common disease, 40% of cases accors spontanously with unknown cause.

Collaboration partners

Universitetet i Tromsø
norinnova logo. Ikon.

Contact information

Foto: Marius Fiskum / www.mariusfiskum.no

Morten Elde

Forretningsutvikler | Tech Transfer

morten@norinnova.no
Tlf. 414 06 762

Les om andre prosjekter:

About the technology SMOLTR is a smolt-verification tool to be utilized in the smoltification process of salmon. Data indicates that this technology …

– Based on the Aliivibrio wodanis chassis (PsyXpress) The challenge The main challenge in protein production is to achieve optimal solubility, activity …

Instant volume microscopy The SOLIS Microscope A new type of fluorescence microscope that combines the best aspects of confocal with light-sheet microscopy. SOLIS …

Superior gas monitoring and measurement Industry challenges Traditional gas sensing with absorption spectroscopy uses large multi-pass cells containing a sample gas, through …

– Multi-option distributed computing solutions for super-resolution imaging The MUSICAL technology MUSICAL is an imaging software that makes super-resolution optical microscopy available …

Sperm filtration for improved success rate of assisted reproduction technology About the technology With current automated or manual IVF methods focusing on …