sIP-10, CD26 activity and responsiveness to therapy in chronic HCV patients

Inventors: Matthew L. Albert et al.

Description of invention: 

The present invention relates to the success of IFN / Ribavirin therapy in chronically infected HCV patients. Specifically, we have identified a potential drug target that could improve patient responsiveness to the standard of care therapy (currently effective in ~50% of patients, based on genotype 1 infection).

 Specific advandages

This discovery permits overcoming the counter-inflammatory mechanisms present in chronically infected HCV patients. The trafficking of effector T and B cells may be critical for patient responsiveness to IFN therapy. High levels of IP-10 have been reported. Elevated levels of active CD26 are also described. Our invention concerns the identification of sIP-10 (cleaved by CD26) and predicts that this event may account for the disrupted trafficking of anti-HCV T and B cells.
 Targeting of CD26 enzymatic activity has been achieved in humans and Phase I studies indicate acceptable safety profile. 
 Enumeration of CXCR3+ cells in the peripheral blood will determine ability to alter the trafficking patterns of effector T and B lymphocytes.

 Potential applications
 Chronically infected HCV patients. 
 Individuals with solid organ tumors that over-express CD26 and/or FAP.
 Other viral inflammatory disorders in which elevated levels of sIP-10 are discovered.
  
Patent Status:
 US patent application filed on September 14, 2006

Contact : Christophe Poquet, Business Development Manager - Office of Technology Transfer
 Institut Pasteur - 28 Rue du Docteur Roux - 75724 Paris Cedex 15 FRANCE
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