Patents

ICREA selects researchers based solely on their scientific achievements. However, excellent science often leads to the invention of new and amazing technologies and solutions. When that happens, ICREA fully supports the exploitation of these opportunities.

Our ICREA research professors are working in different Universities and Research Centres. On account of this, ownership of any intellectual or industrial property is always shared between ICREA and the host institution. To make negotiations as fast and conclusive as possible, host institutions are entitled to explore and engage in technology transfer activities on behalf of ICREA when opportunities arise. ICREA supports the exploitation efforts and offers advice throughout the process.

Please have a look at our current technologies and contact ICREA to learn more about them.

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    CAR T-cells for CD1-positive cancer

    Diego Sanchéz, Heleia Roca, Francisco Gutiérrez, Clara Bueno, Pablo Menéndez
    Josep Carreras Leukemi Research Institution

    The choice of the antigen against which we wish to re-direct T-cells represents a major advance to solve the problems associated with the shared expression of T-cell markers between normal and malignant T-cells. We identified that CD1a, a lipid-presenting molecule, is a suitable target for 5 treating a large subset of T-ALL, i.e. cortical T-ALL. We developed and functionally characterized CD1a-specific CARTs, which displayed robust cytotoxicity against T-ALL cell lines and primary cortical CD1a+ T-ALL cells both in vitro and in vivo in xenograft models. The CD1a CARTs continuously expanded 200-fold, similar to MOCK T-10 cells, demonstrating that redirecting CARTs against CD1a antigen does not induce T-cell fratricide. Also, the use of CD1a CARTs for cortical T-ALL bypasses the need for sophisticatedgenome editingbased disruption of target antigens in T-cells prior to CAR transduction as a strategy to avoid selfantigen-driven fratricide 15-17,19. We further demonstrated that in steady-state hematopoiesis, CD1a is exclusively expressed in a subset of cortical CD34+CD7+ thymic T progenitors, whereas earlier 15 CD34highCD7high T-progenitors lack CD1a. In addition, neither normal CD34+ HSPCs nor mature Tcells from multiple tissues express CD1a during ontogeny, thereby minimizing the risk of ontarget/off-tumor toxicity. Indeed, when human fetal thymus-derived CD7+ thymocytes were exposed to CD1a CARTs, only the CD1a+ cortical thymocytes were eliminated by the CD1a CARTs, while developmentally earlier and later thymic T-lineagepopulations (CD34+ and CD34-) were not targeted, 20 limiting the on-target/off-tumor effects to a developmentally transient thymic population of cortical thymocytes and further confirming thefratricide resistant nature of CD1a CARTs. The exclusive thymic localization of cortical thymocytes, and the fact that thymic subpopulations of CD34+CD7+CD1a- T-cell progenitors physiologically/constantly maturing into functional T cells25 reside upstream of CD1a+ cortical thymocytes, provides an additional level of safety for the use of CD1a CARTs in patients with R/R T-ALL. We do not expect irreversible toxicities or severe T-cell aplasia attributed to CD1a CARTs for the following reasons: i) the CD1a+ thymocyte population is a transient thymic T-cell fraction, eventually regenerated by upstream CD1a- T-cell progenitors; ii) CD1a CARTs themselves respond normally to viral antigens and therefore are likely to be protective 30 against pathogens; iii) the clinical use of specific antibodies against CD5 or CD7 42 did not reveal severe or irreversible toxicities; iv) there are multiple studies that demonstrate extrathymic maturation of T-cells and a balance between the innate and adaptive immune system that may, at least in part, guarantee immunological protection in patients who haveundergone partial or total thymectomy 45-47. 35 Thus, in one aspect, the present invention provides a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) comprising an extracellular domain comprising a CD1a targeting-moiety, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular signaling domain. The present invention also provides a nucleic acid encoding the CAR of the present invention. Further, 5 the present invention provides a cell comprising the nucleic acid and/or CAR of the present invention. And, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a plurality of cells in accordance with the present invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. The cell of the present invention or pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is provided 10 for use as a medicament. In particular, the present invention provides a method of treating a CD1apositive cancer comprising administering the cell of the present invention or the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention to a patient in need thereof.

    Filing date: 14 Feb, 2019

    Licenced date: 16 Jul, 2020

    WO2020/1653500/053769

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    Common-path interferometric scattering imaging system and a method of using common-path interferometric scattering imaging to detect an object: U.S. Continuation-in-Part Patent

    M Liebel, JT Hugall, NF Van Hulst
    ICFO Fundació Institut de Ciències Fotòniques

    US Patent App. 16/259,505

    Filing date: 28 Jan, 2019

    US Patent App. 16/259,505

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    p38α autophosphorylation inhibitors

    Angel R. Nebreda, Lorena Gonzalez, Robert Soliva, Modesto Orozco, Lucia Diaz, Ana Igea, Daniel Soler

    The present invention concerns inhibitors of p38α autophosphorylation, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, and their use in the treatment of a number of diseases, such as myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury. The inhibitors satisfy the following general formula: wherein R, R1, R2, R4, and R5 may have different meanings.

    Filing date: 11 Dec, 2018

    EP18382911.8

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    Functionalized Enzyme-Powered Nanomotors

    Samuel Sánchez, Tania Patiño Padial, Ana C. Lopes Hortelao
    IBEC

    The present invention provides an enzyme - powered nano motor , comprising a particle with a surface , an enzyme , and a heterologous molecule ; characterized in that the enzyme and the heterologous molecule are discontinuously attached over the whole surface of the particle . The invention also provides the nanomotor for use in therapy , diagnosis and prognosis , in particular , for the treatment of cancer . Addi tionally , the invention provides the use of the nanomotor for detecting an analyte in an isolated sample .

    Filing date: 5 Dec, 2018

    Licenced date: 17 Jan, 2023

    US Patent App. 17/299,727

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    Graphene transistor system for measuring electrophysiological signals

    A. Guimerà, E. Masvidal, R. Villa, X. Illa, M. Sanchez-Vives, J.A. Garrido
    ICN2

    Filing date: 6 Nov, 2018

    Licenced date: 16 Apr, 2020

    P201831068 / PCTES2019070728

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    Graphene doping by thermal poling

    M. Marchena, P. Mazumder, V. Pruneri

    Filing date: 18 Oct, 2018

    Licenced date: 18 Oct, 2018

    US62/747,219

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    NG2 antigen is a therapeutic target in human acute leukemia

    Pablo Menendez, Clara Bueno, Belen Lopez-Millan, HeleiabRoca-Ho
    Institute Josep Carreras

    Filing date: 4 Aug, 2018

    P14748PCT00

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    Circuit for the multiplexing and read-out of variable-resistance sensor arrays

    Guimerà Brunet, Anton; Terés Terés, Lluis Antoni; Dei, Michele; Cisneros Fernández, Jose Agustín; Serra Graells, Francisco; Garrido Ariza, José Antonio
    ICN2

    This present innovative solution relates to an apparatus and a method for multiplexing and reading arrays of sensors whose electrical resistance is modulated by the signals to be measured. According to the innovative solution, the sensors are arranged in a bi-dimensional array so that their 10 terminals are grouped column- and row-wise. Independent voltage sources are applied to each column of the array in order to stimulate harmonic waveforms of different amplitudes, frequencies and phases. For each sensor, the corresponding column harmonic voltage waveform is mixed with the variable-resistance signal to be measured generating a modulated current 15 waveform. These modulated currents are summed row-wise and collected at the read-out circuit, either by applying a constant voltage to each row of the array or by connecting a capacitor and converting these current summations into output 20 voltage signals. Finally, the read-out circuit de-multiplexes each individual sensor signal to be measured by means of lock-in demodulation according to the frequencies and phases employed for the stimulation of each column. The proposed innovative solution does not require any switching element in 25 the array to perform the sensor multiplexing. Also, the generation of artifacts is strongly reduced thanks to its continuous-time waveform operation compared to discrete-time scanning techniques. Moreover, the use of frequency and phase lock-in demodulation during de-multiplexing strongly reduces the equivalent noise bandwidth of the overall read-out system. Furthermore, the 30 low-frequency noise contributions added by the read-out circuits can be filtered out through the appropriate selection of frequencies for each column of the array. Finally, a novel method for manufacturing the sensor array is presented. The method uses GFET transistors.

    Filing date: 3 Aug, 2018

    WO2020025786A1

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    COMBINATION OF LIF INHIBITORS AND PLATINUM-BASED ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS FOR USE IN TREATING CANCER



    Filing date: 18 Jun, 2018

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    METHODS FOR IMPROVING RESPONSE TO ANTI-LIF ANTIBODY TREATMENT IN INDIVIDUALS WITH CANCER



    Filing date: 18 Jun, 2018