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Lung
cancer is the most common cause of cancer in men and women in the United States.
Lung cancer can be divided into two distinct classes, non-small cell lung
carcinoma (NSCLC) and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). While constitutive
Hedgehog signaling has been demonstrated in SCLC, this class represents only
20% of all lung cancers.
Dartmouth researchers have now found that the Hedgehog
pathway is constitutively active in a subset of NSCLC. Moreover, it has been
found that overexpression of Gli1 leads to resistance to Hedgehog pathway
antagonists. Small molecule inhibitors of the Hedgehog pathway have also been
identified for decreasing proliferation of tumor cells which is dependent
upon the Hedgehog pathway. Therefore, elevated levels of a component of the
Hedgehog pathway can be used in the diagnosis of NSCLC and Hedgehog pathway
components can also serve as targets for the prevention and treatment of
cancers in which tumor cell proliferation is dependent upon the Hedgehog
pathway.
This
technology is claimed in the published PCT Application No. PCT/US2006/031685.
We are seeking an industrial partner interested in its
commercialization. (Ref: J314)
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