This technology is an animal model designed to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries develop Her-2 based vaccines or immunotherapeutic agents.
Background & Unmet Need:
Her-2 positive breast cancer is a breast cancer that is positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2). Presence of Her-2 promotes the growth of cancer cells and is caused by a genetic mutation. 1 in 5 breast cancers are labelled as Her-2 positive; these types of cancers tend to be more aggressive and less responsive to hormone treatment.
Technology Description:
WSU researchers have created a new animal model that can be used in cancer research. The model expresses human Her-2, and the immune reactivity to Her-2 closely resembles that seen in humans. Vaccines or immunotherapeutic agents targeting Her-2 can be tested in these mice to obtain meaningful pre-clinical data before clinical trials.
Commercial Applications:
- Animal model for testing Her-2 vaccines or immunotherapeutic agents
Stage of Development:
Preclinical
Competitive Advantages:
- Animals tolerant to Her-2 and exhibit immune responses similar to those seen in humans
Intellectual Property Status:
No patent information available
Related Publications or Citations of Work:
Piechocki, M.P., Ho, Y.S., Pilon, A. and Wei, W.Z. Human ErbB-2 (Her-2) transgenic mice: A model system for testing Her-2 based vaccines, J. Immunol. 171: 5787-5794, 2003.