Therapeutic Agent Targeting Injured Mesothelial Cells for Adhesion Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current strategies for preventing and treating post-operative adhesions are inadequate due to a lack of understanding of the underlying molecular and genetic mechanisms, leading to high healthcare costs and morbidity, with existing treatments focusing on physical barriers or surgical intervention that often result in reformation of adhesions.

Innovation Solution

Development of an agent that disrupts adhesion formation by depleting or inhibiting granulocytes, specifically targeting injured mesothelial cells through markers like MSLN and UPK1B, and using antibodies or polypeptides that bind to granulocyte markers to prevent neutrophil recruitment and inhibit gene products induced in injured mesothelial cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical barriers or surgical intervention are used to prevent adhesions, then adhesion formation is reduced, but the treatments are complex and often result in reformation of adhesions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion prevention effectivenessVSAvoidtreatment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the molecular parameters of the peritoneal surface by administering agents that modify mesothelial cell function, cytokine expression, and fibrin deposition characteristics. This transforms the biological environment to prevent adhesion formation without requiring complex physical barriers or repeated surgical interventions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical prevention methods (physical barriers, surgical separation) with biochemical mechanisms. Agents are administered to modulate molecular processes including cytokine signaling, fibrin deposition, and mesothelial cell behavior, thereby eliminating the need for complex mechanical intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If granulocytes are depleted or inhibited, then adhesion formation is reduced, but the mechanism requires targeting specific cell types and markers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion formation reductionVSAvoidtargeting specificity requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses granulocyte markers (such as CD11b, CD66b, CD177) as intermediary targets. By administering agents that bind to these markers on granulocytes and injured mesothelial cells, the treatment selectively depletes or inhibits granulocyte function without requiring direct manipulation of the complex adhesion formation process itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and targets the harmful granulocyte component from the adhesion formation process. By specifically depleting granulocytes or inhibiting their recruitment through marker-targeting agents, the treatment removes the pro-inflammatory cells that drive adhesion formation, separating this function from the broader tissue healing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If injured mesothelial cells are targeted, then adhesion pathogenesis is addressed, but new therapeutic approaches are required based on molecular mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion pathogenesis treatmentVSAvoidtherapeutic development complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent identifies and targets molecular copies of mesothelial cell surface markers (such as MSLN, UPK1B) that are uniquely expressed on injured mesothelial cells. By using antibody fragments or polypeptides that bind to these molecular copies, the treatment specifically targets injured mesothelium without requiring complex surgical or physical intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical or surgical approaches with molecularly-based therapeutic mechanisms. Agents are designed to bind to specific molecular markers on injured mesothelial cells, utilizing biochemical interactions rather than mechanical force to achieve adhesion prevention and treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively reduces and prevents adhesion formation by targeting the surface mesothelium as the primary tissue of origin for adhesions, providing a new pathomechanistic understanding and novel therapeutic approaches that can treat and prevent adhesion pathogenesis, with demonstrated efficacy in animal models.

Implementation Method 1

using antibodies or polypeptides that bind to granulocyte markers to prevent neutrophil recruitment and inhibit gene products induced in injured mesothelial cells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntibody binding:

Implementation Method 2

depleting granulocyte or inflammatory granulocytes or (b) inhibiting granulocyte or inflammatory granulocyte recruitment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCell depletion:

Implementation Method 3

inhibiting the expression or activity of a gene product whose expression is induced in the injured mesothelial cells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGene expression inhibition:

Data Source

PatentEP3448421B1Methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of surgical adhesions
Publication Date: 2021.11.03 THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIV
  • EP3448421B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1F
  • EP3448421B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3448421B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods of treating a subject to reduce adhesion formation, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of thereof an agent that that targets adhesion-formation by injured mesothelial cells. The agent can act at a variety of checkpoints in the development of adhesions by injured mesothelial cells, including: targeting the injured mesothelial cells for destruction, recruiting inflammatory macrophages to the site of adhesion, preventing neutrophil recruitment to the site of adhesion, and/or inhibiting the expression or activity of a gene product whose expression is induced in the injured mesothelial cells. Compositions and kits for performing the methods are also provided.