Method of Making, Isolating, and Using Pseudopterosin Compounds Isolated from Symbiodinium

Description

This technology identifies a microbial source of the potent antiinflammatory agents, the pseudopterosins. The microorganism is identified as a dinoflagellate symbiont of the gorgonian coral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae.

Advantages

• The pseudopterosins are extremely potent anti-inflammatory agents initially only available from a soft coral. The identification of a microbial source of these compounds should allow for the development of a sustainable production method via cell culture thus making these compounds readily available for the first time.

Potential Applications

• May be used to treat, prevent, or inhibit rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatic carditis, collagen and auto-immune diseases such as myasthenia gravis, allergic diseases, bronchial asthma and ocular, skin inflammatory diseases such as poison ivy, and proliferative diseases such as psoriasis.
• Useful as adjuvant therapy associated with organ and tissue transplants and any neurological disease involving the metabolism of nervous tissue phospholipid such as multiple sclerosis.
• Can be useful in the treatment of insect bites, bee or wasp stings or any venom in which a major constituent is the enzyme phospholipse A2
• Compounds are of non-animal origin.

(c) Florida Atlantic University All rights reserved.
Updated August 10, 2008

Inventors
Dr. Russell G. Kerr
Chemistry

IP Status
U.S. Patent Application
& PCT filed 10/04/2002
Published: 06/05/2003

Contact Information
Office of Technology Transfer
777 Glades Road, ADM 218
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991

Kurt R. Moore
Assistant V.P. & Director
Ph: 561-297-1165
Fax: 561-297-2141
kmoore34@fau.edu

Michelle Webb
Assistant Director
Ph: 561-297-0673
Fax: 561-297-2141
mwebb18@fau.edu

Case Number
2001-08