Oxford: a new method of treating heart failure by inhibiting hypoxia–indicible factor

Licensing opportunity

Heart failure is a common condition affecting about 2 per cent of the general population and up to 15 per cent of the elderly population. It is a progressive disorder resulting in damage to the heart causing weakening of the cardiovascular system. Although successful drug therapies do exist, the mortality rate associated with even well-treated heart failure is unacceptable. There is a need for new therapies in this area and also a need for novel approaches to treatment.

Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) is a transcription factor which plays a key role in the body’s response to the deprivation of oxygen. It regulates the expression of a wide variety of genes including those associated with the growth of new blood vessels, programmed cell death and the breakdown of food and its conversion into energy.

HIF consists of HIF-alpha and HIF-beta subunits; in addition there are three variants of HIF-alpha subunit, referred to a HIF-1 alpha, HIF-2 alpha and HIF-3 alpha. HIF has been shown to regulate the growth of new blood vessels, and inhibitors of HIF-1 alpha are being developed to halt the processes of angiogenesis in tumours.

The role of HIF-1 in the heart is also recognised including reports of an association between heart failure and upregulated HIF 1-alpha. A recent paper confirmed that activation of HIF-1 alpha underlies key changes in cell metabolism that are characteristic of, and contribute to, heart disease. The discovery relates to the treatment of heart failure and disorders associated with heart failure by the inhibition of HIF-1.

The invention is the subject of a US patent application. Isis would like to talk to companies interested in developing the commercial opportunity.

For more information:

• Go to http://www.isis-innovation.com/licensing/select-project.html
• And select: Project Number 3644 - Treatment of Heart Failure