IP Library Granted Patent US 12,213,996
Granted Patent B2
US 12,213,996 · App. 16/966,204 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Methods of treating optic nerve diseases using neural progenitor cell growth factors

Inventors: Steven Lance Bernstein (Chevy Chase, MD); Candace L. Kerr (Westminster, MD); Sally Temple Stern (Slingerlands, NY)
Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE; REGENERATIVE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
A61K35/30A61K38/18A61K38/1825A61K38/1841A61K38/185A61K38/1866A61P27/06
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,213,996
App. No.
16/966,204
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Optic nerve lamina region neural progenitor cells (ONLR-NPCs) are provided. Such cells secrete growth factors and survival factors that can be used in the treatment of optic nerve diseases, such as glaucoma. Also provided are methods of treating or preventing optic nerve diseases, such as glaucoma, using one or more factors secreted by ONLR-NPCs, combinations of factors secreted by ONLR-NPCs, or culture media conditioned by ONLR-NPCs.

Claims (21)

1. A method of treating or preventing an optic nerve disease in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising one or more of:

(i) a population of optic nerve lamina region-neural progenitor cells (ONLR-NPCs),

(ii) ONLR-NPC conditioned media,

(iii) an ONLR-NPC lysate, and

thereby treating or preventing an optic nerve disease in the subject.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optic nerve disease is selected from the group consisting of open-angle glaucoma, angle-closure glaucoma, optic nerve hypoplasia, optic nerve hypomyelination, regional axonal dysfunction, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), and optic neuritis.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to the eye of the subject.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to the subject via one or more of topical application, subconjunctival injection, intravitreal injection, and retrobulbar injection.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition administered to the subject is a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ONLR-NPCs are nestin(+), SOX2(+), GFAP(+), NG2(−) cells.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ONLR-NPCs are nestin(+), SOX2(+), GFAP(+), NG2(−), SOX1(+), vimentin(+), BDNF(+) cells.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ONLR-NPCs express one or more of Latent Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 1 (TGF-β1), Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF), Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-1), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Mesenchymal Astrocyte Neurotrophic Factor (MANF) and Insulin-like Growth Factors-1 and -2 (IGF-1 and IGF-2).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ONLR-NPCs express at least five growth factors selected from the group consisting of VGF, TGFβ1, LTBP1, LTBP2, PDGFB, CTGF, FGF11, NDNF, PDGFC, TGFβ2, NGF, FGF1, Midkine, VEGFA, MANF, IGF-1, and IGF-2.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ONLR-NPCs express each of VGF, TGFβ1, LTBP1, LTBP2, PDGFB, CTGF, FGF11, NDNF, PDGFC, TGFβ2, NGF, FGF1, Midkine, VEGFA, MANF, IGF-1, and IGF-2.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ONLR-NPCs express one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of Cell Growth Regulator with Ring Finger Domain 1, Dynein Regulatory Complex Subunit 4, Fibroblast Growth Factor 12, Fibroblast Growth Factor 14, Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4, Growth Arrest and DNA Damage-inducible Protein GADD45 beta, Growth Factor Independent 1 Transcriptional Repressor, Growth Hormone Receptor, Placental Growth Factor, Platelet-derived Growth Factor D/Spinal Cord-Derived Growth Factor B, Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor-like Protein, Transforming Growth Factor beta-1 Proprotein, Transforming Growth Factor beta-1-induced Transcript 1 Protein, Upper Zone of Growth Plate and Cartilage Matrix Associated Protein, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C and UNC-13 Homolog C.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ONLR-NPCs express each of Cell Growth Regulator with Ring Finger Domain 1, Dynein Regulatory Complex Subunit 4, Fibroblast Growth Factor 12, Fibroblast Growth Factor 14, Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4, Growth Arrest and DNA Damage-inducible Protein GADD45 beta, Growth Factor Independent 1 Transcriptional Repressor, Growth Hormone Receptor, Placental Growth Factor, Platelet-derived Growth Factor D/Spinal Cord-Derived Growth Factor B, Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor-like Protein, Transforming Growth Factor beta-1 Proprotein, Transforming Growth Factor beta-1-induced Transcript 1 Protein, Upper Zone of Growth Plate and Cartilage Matrix Associated Protein, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C and UNC-13 Homolog C.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprising one or more factors secreted by ONLR-NPCs comprises one or more of Latent Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 1 (TGF-β1), Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF), Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-1), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Mesenchymal Astrocyte Neurotrophic Factor (MANF) and Insulin-like Growth Factors-1 and -2 (IGF-1 and IGF-2).

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprising one or more factors secreted by ONLR-NPCs comprises each of Latent Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 1 (TGF-β1), Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF), Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-1), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Mesenchymal Astrocyte Neurotrophic Factor (MANF) and Insulin-like Growth Factors-1 and -2 (IGF-1 and IGF-2).

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprising one or more factors secreted by ONLR-NPCs comprises at least five of growth factors selected from the group consisting of VGF, TGFβ1, LTBP1, LTBP2, PDGFB, CTGF, FGF11, NDNF, PDGFC, TGFβ2, NGF, FGF1, Midkine, VEGFA, MANF, IGF-1, and IGF-2.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprising one or more factors secreted by ONLR-NPCs comprises each of VGF, TGFβ1, LTBP1, LTBP2, PDGFB, CTGF, FGF11, NDNF, PDGFC, TGFβ2, NGF, FGF1, Midkine, VEGFA, MANF, IGF-1, and IGF-2.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Dec 15, 2020
From: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 054759/0169 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2020
From: BERNSTEIN, STEVEN L.; KERR, CANDACE
To: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE
Reel/Frame 053356/0295 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2020
From: STERN, SALLY TEMPLE
To: REGENERATIVE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 053356/0321 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62625593 · Feb 2, 2018
Related Publication 20220175844A1 · Jun 9, 2022
References Cited (15)
US 9107897B2 · Klassen · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20110052678A1 · Shantha · 2011 [cited by examiner]
WO 2016032263 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016037159 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
Bernstein et al., “The optic nerve lamina is a neural progenitor cell niche”. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. Apr. 2014, vol. 55, 1385 (Year: 2014). [cited by examiner]
Guo et al., “Age-related Gene Expression Changes in the Murine Optic Nerve Lamina”. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. Apr. 2014, vol. 55, 1376 (Year: 2014). [cited by examiner]
Guo et al., “Characterizing Sox2 cell in the adult mouse optic nerve lamina”. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. Jun. 2015, vol. 56, 3576 (Year: 2015). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report and Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, issued Apr. 15, 2019 in corresponding International Patent Application No. PCT/US2019/016303. [cited by applicant]
Bernstein et al., “The optic nerve lamina is a neural progenitor cell niche”, ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Apr. 2014, vol. 55, 1385, XP055572323. [cited by applicant]
Guo et al., “Age-related Gene Expression Changes in the Murine Optic Nerve Lamina”, ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Apr. 2014, vol. 55, 1376, XP055572483. [cited by applicant]
Fawcett et al., “Cultivation of mouse neural progenitor cells from the optic nerve”, ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Jun. 2017, vol. 58, 3328, XP055572545. [cited by applicant]
Bernstein et al., “Directional Growth of Optic Nerve Axons and Processive Gliogenesis”, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 24(S1): 1276-1277 (2018). [cited by applicant]
Gokuladhas et al., “Ocular progenitor cells and current application in regenerative medicines—Review”, Genes & Diseases, 4(2): 88-99 (2017). [cited by applicant]
Ma et al., “Transplantation of Human Neural Progenitor Cells Expressing IGF-1 Enhances Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival”, PL0S One, 10(4): e0125695, XP009512064 (2015). [cited by applicant]
Johnson et al., “Transplantation prospects for the inner retina”, Eye, 23(10): 1980-1984 (2008). [cited by applicant]