Carboranes for Selective T-Cell Inhibition in Heart Failure

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Solution Overview

Problem

The molecular mechanisms underlying pathological immune cell activation and their roles in the progression of adverse remodeling and inflammation in chronic heart failure are not well understood, and existing treatments do not effectively target T-cell activation to mitigate chronic inflammation.

Innovation Solution

Carboranes are used to selectively inhibit T-cell activation and proliferation, reducing circulating T-cell levels without affecting neutrophils or B-cells, thereby treating or preventing chronic heart failure post-myocardial infarction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing treatments are used to address chronic heart failure, then general immune suppression may occur, but T-cell activation cannot be selectively targeted and other immune cells are affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveselectivity of T-cell targetingVSAvoidbroad immune cell coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the immune system by developing carborane compounds that specifically target T-cells while leaving other immune cells (neutrophils, monocytes, B-cells) unaffected. This selective segmentation allows precise intervention in T-cell activation pathways without causing broad immune suppression, resolving the contradiction between selectivity and broad coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The carborane compounds exhibit local quality by demonstrating selective affinity for T-cell activation mechanisms. The molecular structure of carboranes is designed to interact specifically with T-cell receptors or signaling pathways, creating a localized effect on T-cells while maintaining normal function of other immune cells, thus achieving reliable T-cell targeting without compromising overall immune versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If broad immune suppression is applied to treat chronic heart failure, then inflammation may be reduced, but T-cell activation cannot be specifically modulated and other immune functions are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechronic inflammationVSAvoidspecificity of immune modulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Carborane compounds serve as intermediary agents that mediate between the therapeutic goal of reducing chronic inflammation and the need for specific T-cell modulation. These compounds act as selective intermediaries that interfere with T-cell activation pathways (reducing inflammation) without affecting other immune cell functions, thus achieving both inflammation reduction and treatment reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the molecular parameters of carborane compounds to achieve optimal selectivity for T-cells. By adjusting chemical structure, concentration, and binding affinity parameters, the compounds can specifically modulate T-cell activation thresholds without altering the functional parameters of other immune cells, thereby reducing inflammation while maintaining treatment specificity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If T-cell activation is inhibited using carboranes, then circulating T-cell levels are reduced and chronic inflammation is alleviated, but potential off-target effects on other immune cells must be avoided

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapeutic efficacyVSAvoidselectivity maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The carborane compounds apply partial action by selectively inhibiting only the excessive T-cell activation that occurs in chronic heart failure, rather than completely suppressing all T-cell functions. This partial inhibition is sufficient to reduce pathological inflammation and improve therapeutic efficacy while maintaining enough T-cell activity to preserve immune surveillance and prevent opportunistic infections, thus maintaining selectivity reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4117660B1Methods of modulating t-cell activation and treating chronic heart failure using carboranes
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 OHIO STATE INNOVATION FOUND
  • EP4117660B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4117660B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4117660B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Disclosed are method of modulating immune response in a subject using carboranes and carborane analogs. The carborane and carborane analogs can selectively inhibit the activation and/or proliferation of T-cells, reducing circulating T-cell levels in a subject without significantly affecting circulating levels of neutrophils, monocytes, or B-cells. As a result, the carboranes and carborane analogs can be used in therapeutic and/or prophylactic applications, including to treat or prevent chronic heart failure (CHF) in a subject post-myocardial infarction (MI) and to treat or prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and/or experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in a subject.