Description:
Reference #: 01154
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for using Ciclopirox to treat diabetes and other conditions that involve the loss of glucose homeostasis.
Invention Description:
The subject invention is a novel use of Ciclopirox (also known as CPX, Loprox, or Ciclodan), an antibiotic used for fungal infections, to modulate glucose homeostasis, thereby regulating blood sugar levels that are responsible for many symptoms associated with diabetes.
Potential Applications:
- CPX may be used for the treatment of diabetes, including but not limited to type I diabetes, type II diabetes, gestational diabetes, and pre-diabetes.
- In addition to treatment of diabetes, it may also can be utilized in treatment of other metabolic conditions that lead to loss of glucose homeostasis
Advantages and Benefits:
Instead of interfering with glucose metabolism, the invention improves the survival of the body's cells that are responsible for glucose homeostasis. It may be used alone or in conjunction with other diabetes treatments.
Background:
Pancreatic dysfunction during diabetes is linked to the induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the β cells of pancreatic islets. Thus, inhibition of ER stress-associated cytotoxicity may provide means for disease management. CPX’s ability to modulate the intensity of ER stress is the source of its anti-diabetic activity. CPX encourages the survival and health of β pancreatic cells in high endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress conditions such as chronic loss of glucose homeostasis, which is common in diabetes.
Development:
In vitro, CPX was show to protect pancreatic islets from high glucose-induced glucotoxicity and can effectively restore glucose levels in diabetic subjects in vivo.