IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,440,538
Granted Patent B2
US 12,440,538 · App. 18/853,789 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Treatment for ocular fibrosis

Inventor: Dimitrios Karamichos (Carrollton, TX)
Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT FORT WORTH
A61K38/1709A61K9/0048A61P27/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,440,538
App. No.
18/853,789
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention includes methods of treating ocular fibrosis of the eye in a human subject, the method comprising administering to the human subject in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a prolactin-inducible Protein (PIP) which is capable of inhibiting or reversing the ocular fibrosis.

Claims (15)

1. A method of treating ocular fibrosis of the eye in a human subject, the method comprising administering to the human subject in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a prolactin-Inducible Protein (PIP) that inhibits or reverses the ocular fibrosis.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ocular fibrosis is selected from the group consisting of Grave's ophthalmopathy, epiretinal fibrosis, retinal fibrosis, subretinal fibrosis, subretinal fibrosis associated with macular degeneration, subretinal fibrosis associated with wet macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, corneal fibrosis, post-surgical fibrosis, fibrosis from cataract surgery, fibrosis from trabeculectomy for glaucoma, conjunctival fibrosis, and subconjunctival fibrosis.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein administering PIP is orally, topically, intraocularly, intravitreally, subcutaneously, subconjunctivally, intramuscularly, via eye drops, or via an implant.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the human subject has downregulated PIP mRNA expression.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the human subject has upregulated expression of at least one of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, integrin α6, integrin β4, or thrombospondin-1.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether PIP is upregulated in the human subject, determining whether at least one of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, integrin α6, integrin β4, or thrombospondin-1 is upregulated in the human subject, and administering PIP if at least one of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, integrin α6, integrin β4, or thrombospondin-1 is upregulated in the human subject.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the human subject has downregulated expression of PIP mRNA, but PIP protein expression is not reduced.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ocular fibrosis is caused by a trauma or injury selected from the group consisting of burns, cuts, stabs, scrapes, punctures, penetrations, dystrophies, and blunt trauma.

9. A method of treating ocular fibrosis in a human subject, the method comprising administering to the human subject in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a prolactin-inducible protein (PIP) sufficient to inhibit or reverse the ocular fibrosis wherein the ocular fibrosis is selected from the group consisting of: Grave's ophthalmopathy, epiretinal fibrosis, retinal fibrosis, subretinal fibrosis, subretinal fibrosis associated with macular degeneration, subretinal fibrosis associated with wet macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, corneal fibrosis, post-surgical fibrosis, fibrosis from cataract surgery, fibrosis from trabeculectomy for glaucoma, conjunctival fibrosis, and subconjunctival fibrosis.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein administering PIP is orally, topically, intraocularly, intravitreally, subcutaneously, subconjunctivally, intramuscularly, via eye drops, or via an implant.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the human subject has downregulated PIP mRNA expression.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the human subject has upregulated expression of at least one of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, integrin α6, integrin β4, or thrombospondin-1.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining whether PIP is upregulated in the human subject, determining whether at least one of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, integrin α6, integrin β4, or thrombospondin-1 is upregulated in the human subject, and administering PIP if at least one of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, integrin α6, integrin β4, or thrombospondin-1 is upregulated in the human subject.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the human subject has downregulated expression of PIP mRNA, but PIP protein expression is not reduced.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ocular fibrosis is caused by a trauma or injury selected from the group consisting of burns, cuts, stabs, scrapes, punctures, penetrations, dystrophies, and blunt trauma.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2024
From: KARAMICHOS, DIMITRIOS
To: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT FORT WORTH
Reel/Frame 068830/0747 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63328826 · Apr 8, 2022
Related Publication 20250222067A1 · Jul 10, 2025
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