Ocular gene therapy using avalanche-mediated transfection

US8101169B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University · US

Inventors

• Thomas W. Chalberg, Jr. · Redwood City, US
• Mark S. Blumenkranz · Portola Valley, US
• Daniel V. Palanker · Palo Alto, US
• Alexander Vankov · Menlo Park, US
• Philip Huie · Cupertino, US
• Michael F. Marmor · Stanford, US
• Michele P. Calos · Burlingame, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 15, 2006
• Grant date: Jan 24, 2012
• Expiry date: Dec 16, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61K48/00
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of treating an ocular disease in a subject. In a first step, a nucleic acid is introduced into cells or a tissue. The nucleic acid is introduced by electron avalanche transfection. With this technique, a high electric field induces a vapor bubble and plasma discharge between an electrode and the surrounding medium. The formation of a vapor bubble generates mechanical stress. Plasma discharge through the ionized vapor in the bubble enables connectivity between the electrode and the surrounding medium, so that mechanical stress and electric field are applied simultaneously, which results in permeabilization of the cells or tissue. This permeabilization in turn allows the nucleic acid to enter the cell or tissue. Cells or tissue containing the nucleic acid are then transplanted into an ocular region of the subject.