Overview

Brief Description: Uttroside B is a novel plant-derived compound that has shown significant cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, demonstrating greater efficacy than the currently available standard treatment, Sorafenib. It works by inducing apoptosis and down-regulating key survival pathways, offering hope in a field with limited therapeutic options.

Development Stage: The compound has received U.S. FDA Orphan Drug Designation and has been granted patents in the USA, Japan, Canada, South Korea, and Europe. Preclinical testing is currently underway to support an Investigational New Drug (IND) application.

Key Features

• High Potency - Uttroside B exhibits an IC50 of 0.5 µM against HepG2 liver cancer cells, showcasing more than 11.6 times greater potency compared to Sorafenib (IC50 of 5.8 µM).
• Apoptosis Induction - The compound effectively induces apoptosis in cancer cells while demonstrating biological safety in normal hepatocytes, indicating a promising therapeutic profile.
• Multi-Patent Coverage - Patented in multiple jurisdictions (USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Europe), the technology offers broad intellectual property protection for its use in treating liver cancer.

Benefits

• Economic Impact: By providing a more effective treatment option for HCC, Uttroside B could potentially reduce healthcare costs associated with advanced liver cancer treatments and improve patient outcomes.
• Social Impact: The availability of a new therapeutic option for HCC could significantly enhance the quality of life for patients suffering from this aggressive cancer, making it a vital advancement in oncology.
• Environmental Impact: The use of a plant-derived compound minimizes reliance on synthetic chemicals, aligning with a growing trend towards sustainable and natural therapeutics.

Applications

• Pharmaceuticals - Uttroside B can be used in the development of novel therapies for liver cancer, addressing a significant unmet medical need in oncology.

Case Studies

• Preclinical research demonstrated that Uttroside B significantly reduces tumor growth and metastasis in orthotopic HepG2-xenograft models and tail-vein metastasis model in NOD-SCID mice, supporting its anticancer efficacy against liver cancer.
• Preclinical research also demonstrated that Uttroside B significantly reduces MASH and conversion of MASH to HCC, in High fat diet -induced MASH model and STAM-mouse model, respectively in C57BL/6 mice
• A pharmacological Safety evaluation revealed that consumption of S.nigrum leaf powder containing IC50 dose of Uttroside B is safe in healthy volunteers and stabilizes the Liver Function and Lipid Profile in Patients undergoing Ayurveda and Naturopathy treatment against various liver ailments including fatty liver, NASH, Chronic Liver Disease and HCC.

IP Status

• Intellectual Property: Patents granted in the USA (US 11,607,422 B2, March 21, 2023), Japan (6830153, January 27, 2021), Canada (3026426, April 13, 2021), South Korea (10-2293156, August 18, 2021), and Europe (EP3463382, August 30, 2023) ensure protection of the invention.

Support Offered

• Licensing Options: Licensing agreements are available for the development and commercialization of Uttroside B, facilitating partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.
• Technical Support: Comprehensive support will be provided, including scientific guidance and resources to help maximize the therapeutic potential of Uttroside B.
• Collaboration Opportunities: There are avenues for collaboration with academic and research institutions, enhancing the development of Uttroside B through joint clinical trials and studies.

Contact Information

Contact Person: Dr. Ruby John Anto, Former Scientist, BRIC-RGCB

Email Address: techventures@rgcb.res.in