Home

Targeted gene silencing technology promotes corneal wound healing. Background: Ocular scarring after surgery, trauma, or infection leads to vision loss and blindness. Blindness due to corneal scarring can currently only be resolved by transplantation, necessitating new approaches in regenerative wound healing in the eye.Technology Overview:  A self-deliverable siRNA has been developed by Upstate Medical University researchers to specifically target a gene that modulates scarring in order to promote corneal wound healing. The approach has been validated ex vivo and in vivo, with treatment after corneal wounding resulting in faster wound closure, limited scarring, suppression of fibrotic markers, and restoration of corneal thickness. https://suny.technologypublisher.com/files/sites/110-2089.jpghttps://www.pexels.com/photo/human-eye-2609925/Advantages:  

• Targeted siRNA therapy circumvents the need for immunologically compatible corneal donors.
• In vivo studies demonstrate this therapy promotes 41.5% reduction in scarring

• Effective treatment for corneal scarring resulting from mechanical injuries, burns, infections or surgery.
• Model useful to study pathogenesis of fibrotic healing.

Enables the prevention and treatment of dengue by avoiding the challenge of Antibody Dependent Enhancement. Background: Dengue virus is one of the most widespread vector-borne viral pathogens in the world. Nearly 400 million dengue virus infections occur each year, resulting in approximately 20,000 deaths. In addition, dengue-associated illness comprises an annual global economic burden of around $9 billion USD. While dengue is rare in the continental U.S., warming patterns across the Southern U.S. are increasing the range of the mosquito genus capable of transmitting the virus. There is currently no FDA approved dengue vaccine for use in individuals who have not experienced a previous dengue virus infection, or any approved monoclonal antibody therapy for the prevention or treatment of acute dengue. Technology Overview: This Upstate Medical University technology overcomes a major challenge in dengue prevention and treatment called Antibody Dependent Enhancement (ADE). This phenomenon causes IgG isotype antibodies that recognize dengue virus to enhance infection in individuals with waning or incomplete antiviral immunity. Our technology circumvents this challenge by 1) providing immediate immunity to infection by providing dengue virus neutralizing antibodies, and 2) utilizing an IgA1 antibody construct that will preserve antibody function while being incapable of facilitating ADE like IgG antibodies. This not only provides immediate protection against dengue infection in individuals who have not had dengue in the past, but also counteracts the risk of developing severe disease in individuals with preexisting/suboptimal dengue immunity. Advantages: Enables the development of dengue prevention and treatment options by avoiding Antibody Dependent Enhancement. Applications: There are several potential applications for this product:
- Travelers: reduce the risk of infection while in dengue-endemic areas.
- US Military: reduce the risk of infection and prevent the loss of combat effectiveness when deployed in dengue-endemic areas.
- Residents of dengue endemic areas during dengue transmission seasons
- Relatives, neighbors, or other living in close proximity to an individual experiencing an acute dengue infection.
Intellectual Property Summary: Patent application submitted, Provisional patent, US Provisional Filed, 63/235,325 Stage of Development: Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 3 - Experimental proof of concept.   Licensing Status: This technology is available for licensing and will be of value to any company or institution involved in preventing and treating dengue. This includes: 
- Manufacturers of vaccines and therapeutic medicines 
- Humanitarian agencies providing medical care in underdeveloped areas 
- Hospitals and treatment facilities https://suny.technologypublisher.com/files/sites/110-2173adobestock_89001593.jpeg  

A method to precisely control the amount of pressure applied by the fluid flow from the lithotripsy device with a stopcock. Background:
In percutaneous nephrolithotomy, the urologist inserts a needle into the kidney, dilating a tract into which a sheath is inserted. Fluid irrigation and lithotripsy are then used to break up and retrieve kidney stones into a vial, via the sheath.The devices used for this purpose have channels through which suction is applied from an external source to remove the stones; however, they do not have a method for modulating that suction. Instead, someone in the OR has to clamp or bend the suction tubing in order to slow or release the flow.

This is awkward, imprecise and frustrating; too much suction can lead to loss of visualization and air bubbles inside the body; too little suction can also reduce visualization due to the buildup of particles and/or stone fragments in the tubing. These particles and/or fragments sometimes stick to the inside of the suction tubing; they are difficult to remove and this gums up the works, limiting the effectiveness of the suction device.Technology Overview:  
A SUNY Upstate Medical University team has created a method for reducing pressure buildup in the pelvis during endoscopic procedures. First, the researchers determined the optimal shape of a ureteroscope for reducing intrapelvic pressure. Next, they found that by offsetting the endoscope to the side of the access sheath, which contains the endoscope, they could substantially improve fluid outflow and reduce pressure. Finally, the team determined that this displacement could be achieved by adding small, radially emanating projections within the working channel of the scope. They concluded that any endoscope or catheter could be adapted with these projections and that the methods could also be used with bronchoscopes to reduce the disruption in air flow.  https://suny.technologypublisher.com/files/sites/adobestock_4398441972.jpegAdvantages:

• Makes endoscopy safer for patients.
• Reduces pressure that can cause infection, injury, and pain.
• Modifications can be used to adapt any endoscope or catheter

• Reduces pressure buildup during endoscopic procedures.

• Patent application submitted
• Provisional patent

Novel tools that promote the delivery of therapeutics to treat inner retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and retinitis pigmentosa.  Background:
Non-surgical access to tissues for direct biological manipulation, e.g. gene transfer, stem cell transplantation, and drug delivery, can be difficult because many tissues and organs are surrounded with, and protected by, a nearly impenetrable barrier called the basement membrane (BM). In the eye, the inner limiting membrane (ILM) is a special BM that prevents movement into the retina from the vitreous. Current methods to circumvent the ILM involve its physical or enzymatic removal and have limited efficacy. As a result, successful cell- and gene- based therapies have targeted a subretinal approach, which has proven effective for the outer retina, but is of extremely limited use for the inner retina. Technology Overview:  
This technology describes the use of Ntn4-based molecules to disrupt the laminin polymer needed to form the ILM, allowing for access to these otherwise inaccessible tissues, and for therapies based on that access. This approach is also applicable to a wide variety of other tissues that contain a basement membrane that block the delivery of therapeutic agents. Of particular interest are organs with hard-to-breach BMs, including the kidney glomerulus, cornea and lens capsule, and the dermal/epidermal junction of the skin. https://suny.technologypublisher.com/files/sites/adobestock_4964568011.jpegAdvantages:  
•    Provides non-surgical access to inner retinal tissues.
•    Promotes gene-based and cell-based therapeutics in inner retinal diseases.
•    Applicable to a wide variety of other tissues.  Applications:  
Manipulate the molecular structure of the ILM to promote integration of neural stem cells, viral transfection, or small molecule delivery for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and retinitis pigmentosa and other inner retinal diseases. Intellectual Property Summary: Provisional patent application filed: 63/709,982Stage of Development:
TRL 3 – Experimental proof of concept Licensing Status:
This technology is available for licensing.Licensing Potential:
This technology would be of interest to entities involved in gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and targeted drug delivery. Potential licensees include biopharmaceutical companies, ophthalmology-focused biotech firms, regenerative medicine developers, and platform technology companies seeking to enhance delivery of biologics or cell-based therapies across tissue barriers