Vascular BioSciences Extends Patent Portfolio.Signs Exclusive IP License Agreement with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research The Burnham Institute for Medical Research celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Founded in La Jolla, California, as a non-profit medical research institute focused on cancer research, the Burnham has grown to a 750 person effort, with an annual operating budget of $87 million. SAN DIEGO -- Vascular BioSciences announced today that it has secured a worldwide exclusive license to intellectual property from Burnham Institute for Medical Research relating to work done by Erkki Ruoslahti M.D Ph.D., and Masanobu Komatsu, Ph.D. on their discovery of the role of the intracellular protein R-Ras in neointimal hyperplasia, angiogenesis and vascular proliferation. Drs. Komatsu and Ruoslahti found that R-Ras exerts a strong inhibitory effect on mitotic mitotic pertaining to mitosis. mitotic activity degree to which a cell population is proliferating; used as an index of tumor aggression. and invasive activities of activated endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle Vascular smooth muscle refers to the particular type of smooth muscle found within, and composing the majority of the wall of blood vessels. Vascular smooth muscle contracts or relaxes to both change the volume of blood vessels and the local blood pressure, a mechanism that cells, and promotes quiescence of these cells. The discovery of this unexpected role for R-Ras in blood vessel homeostasis homeostasis Any self-regulating process by which a biological or mechanical system maintains stability while adjusting to changing conditions. Systems in dynamic equilibrium reach a balance in which internal change continuously compensates for external change in a feedback will enable Vascular BioSciences to target R-Ras signaling for therapeutic intervention in a wide range of disorders characterized by pathological vascular remodeling, vascular cell proliferation and endothelial activation. Such diseases include atherosclerosis, sepsis, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, diabetic vasculopathies, acute respiratory distress syndrome acute respiratory distress syndrome n. See adult respiratory distress syndrome. , post-angioplasty restenosis, collagen vascular diseases collagen vascular diseases Connective tissue diseases, see there and other conditions. The ability of R-Ras to promote vascular quiescence may also be useful in anti-angiogenesis therapies for cancer and the engineering of mature blood vessels. David Mann, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. and Chairman of Vascular BioSciences, commented, "This license agreement with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research represents an extremely important expansion to our existing intellectual property portfolio and product pipeline. In addition to securing this valuable worldwide exclusive license, we gain the ability to work closely with internationally renowned scientists like Drs. Komatsu and Ruoslahti to develop novel innovative treatments for vascular diseases." Dr. Erkki Ruoslahti, Distinguished Professor and former President of Burnham Institute for Medical Research, commented, "I believe that R-Ras opens up some entirely new possibilities for the treatment of vascular diseases and look forward to working with Vascular BioSciences on further development of this technology." Vascular BioSciences, a diversified biomedical company based in San Diego, California “San Diego” redirects here. For other uses, see San Diego (disambiguation). San Diego is a coastal Southern California city located in the southwestern corner of the continental United States. As of 2006, the city has a population of 1,256,951. , provides solutions for vascular-based diseases in order to enhance and prolong human life. Vascular BioSciences makes interventional catheters to obtain endoarterial biopsies, provides diagnostic services, and advances therapies in order to improve outcomes for vascular-based disease patients. A newly formed majority-owned subsidiary, VBS Pharmaceuticals, has been created to provide a framework for Vascular Biosciences to engage in drug discovery and pharmaceutical development targeting vascular-based diseases. |
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