Description:
Reference #: 01618
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Panaxynol as a new agent for cancer prevention and treatment
Background:
National costs for cancer care were estimated to be $208.9 billion in 2020; particularly for colorectal cancer (CRC), the economic burden in the U.S. is estimated to be over $24 billion annually. Given the rising rates of CRC and mortality associated with CRC, it is critical that we develop new strategies to prevent CRC in well-defined high-risk populations including 1) Patients with rare genetic syndromes 2) Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and 3) Those with precancerous polyps or carcinomas in situ detected and removed during a routine colonoscopy. In current healthcare practice, measures to reduce CRC risk in these populations include 1) lifestyle modifications and more frequent colonoscopy monitoring, 2) medications such as aspirin and COX-2 inhibitors, and 3) preventive surgery such as total colectomy or total proctocolectomy. However, these measures either are insufficient in bringing down CRC incidence, severely negatively impact patients’ quality of life or are very costly.
Invention Description:
Exciting new data that we have generated indicates that panaxynol, a bioactive component of American ginseng, has potent anti-tumor activity in a pre-clinical model of colorectal cancer. A low dose of panaxynol can increase survival and significantly decrease tumorigenesis. The development of panaxynol may hold promise as an anti-tumor agent.
Potential Applications:
Chemotherapies have undoubtedly increased colorectal cancer survival. However, chemotherapies have severe unwanted side effects that greatly impact the quality of life. The development of panaxynol as an anti-tumor agent to be used as a monotherapy or as a complementary agent to current therapies may increase colorectal cancer survival and reduce off-target effects. The market and customers will follow colorectal cancer incidence and the use of cancer therapy drugs.
Advantages and Benefits:
Less expensive than current therapies
Fewer side effects than those of common cancer therapies
Can be taken orally so fewer hospital visits