July 1, 2010

The Bayerische Patentallianz concludes patent license agreement with Regulus on microRNA-21 The Bayerische Patentallianz GmbH, the patent marketing agency of 28 Bavarian universities and universities of applied sciences, granted an exclusive license on microRNA-21 used for the diagnosis and treatment of heart, liver and kidney diseases to Regulus Therapeutics,an innovative biopharmaceutical company.

microRNAs are small RNA molecules that can influence several biological processes and signaling pathways within the human body and can be jointly responsible for the regulation of approximately 30 percent of the human genes. Therefore, they can play an important role in the central development processes such as the formation of nerve cells and muscles, as well as blood and heart formation. The dysregulation of microRNAs is associated with the emergence of various diseases. Recent research shows that certain cardiac diseases and fibrosis (the excessive accumulation of connective tissue) are connected to a dysregulation of microRNA-21 (miR-21).

The licensing of methods for the modulation of miR-21, which were described by the professors Bauersachs, Thum, Engelhardt and their colleagues from the University of Würzburg, allow Regulus to develop and manufacture therapeutic oligonucleotides that suppress the dysregulated signaling pathways from miR-21. The therapeutic benefits could already be proved in a preclinical study by the University of Würzburg: With the help of the new
technology both fibrosis and cardiac hypertrophy (the  pathologicalenlargement of the heart) could be inhibited [Thum et al. (2008)
Nature 456: 980-984]. A first microRNA-based drug for addressing miR-21, which is already being developed by Regulus, will in the future be used in the treatment of fibrosis.

According to Professor Dr. Alfred Forchel, president of the Julius-Maximilians-University in Würzburg, “the license agreement with Regulus clearly shows that the University of Würzburg takes aleading position in applied research.” As the central patent and marketing agency of 28 universities and universities of applied sciences in Bavaria, the Bayerische Patentallianz GmbH licensed out the invention. “We are pleased that we have found a company such as Regulus for this innovative technology, which is a world leader in microRNA medication” said Peer Biskup, managing director of the Bayerische Patentallianz GmbH.

Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
The Julius-Maximilians-Univeristy in Würzburg, which was founded in 1402, belongs to the leading universities in Germany today. In many fields, such as in biology, medicine, chemistry, physics and psychology, it is among the leading academic institutions internationally. Already in the early 1990s, the
university began to establish interdisciplinary research centers, which in the mean time have become an internationally visible trademark for the institution. They have ensured that the sum of the public and private donors as well as the privately raised research funds from the industry and the number of high-level scientific publications have grown enormously. The university of Würzburg’s scientific success is also currently reflected in the
eleven special research areas, nine post-graduate programs and eight research groups that have attracted funding from the German Research Council, the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” (DFG) against a strong competition. Moreover, one of Germany’s three “Centers of Excellence” was
launched in Würzburg in 2002, which was granted on the part of the DFG: the Rudolf Virchow Center/ DFG Research Center for Experimental  biomedicine.
www.uni-wuerzburg.de

Bayerische Patentallianz GmbH
As the central patent and marketing agency of 28 Bavarian universities and universities of applied sciences, the Bayerische Patentallianz GmbH markets the inventions of more than 17 000 scientists. The Bayerische Patentallianz GmbH was founded on January 1,2007 by Universität Bayern e.V and Hochschule Bayern – The Bavarian Universities of Applied Sciences – e.V. and
continues the university patent initiative “BayernPatent”. With our interdisciplinary team composed of scientists, engineers, lawyers and economic experts we support the universities and universities of applied sciences in Bavaria when it comes to subjects concerning inventions, patents and licenses. Thanks to the internationally renowned research quality of the Bavarian universities, we own a high quality range of marketable inventions on basis of numerous patent families – from biotechnology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and chemistry to engineering and computer sciences, making our patent portfolio one of Germany’s most interesting. As such we are supported by the Bavarian State Ministry for Science, Research and Arts, the Bavarian State Ministry for Economy, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology and by the “SIGNO-Hochschulen” initiative (Schutz von Ideen für die gewerbliche Nutzung or Protection of ideas for commercial use), the program of the Federal Ministry for Business and Technology acting in support of universities, as well as companies and independent inventors, to legally secure and commercially exploit innovative ideas. In addition, the Bayerische Patentallianz GmbH is supported by the Verband der Bayerischen Metall- und
Elektroindustrie e.V. (the Association of the Bavarian Metal and Electrical Industry) and the Bavarian state representation of the Chemical Industry association (VBCI).
www.baypat.de