Compositions and methods for the identification, assessment, prevention and therapy of human cancers

US7871775B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · US
• Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research · US
• The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System · US

Inventors

• Edwin Clark · Ashland, US
• Tallessyn Grenfell-Lee · Cambridge, US
• Karen Lu · Houston, US
• Lynn C. Hartmann · Rochester, US
• Jeffrey Brown · Arlington, US
• Robert C. Bast, Jr. · Houston, US
• Gordon B. Mills · Houston, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 2007
• Grant date: Jan 18, 2011
• Expiry date: Aug 23, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2800/52
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the identification of markers that can be used to determine whether tumors are sensitive or resistant to a therapeutic agent. The present invention is also directed to the identification of therapeutic targets. The invention features a number of “sensitivity markers.” These are markers that are expressed in most or all cell lines that are sensitive to treatment with an agent and which are not expressed (or are expressed at a rather low level) in cells that are resistant to treatment with that agent. The invention also features a number of “resistance markers.” These are markers that are expressed in most or all cell lines that are resistant to treatment with an agent and which are not expressed (or are expressed at a rather low level) in cells that are sensitive to treatment with that agent. The invention also features marker sets that can predict patients that are likely to respond or not to respond to an agent.