Technology Offerings

New medicinal product for peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) therapy

Peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) ranks among the most frequent chronic diseases worldwide. Common therapies comprise mechanical interventions, which are not suitable for a considerable number of patients. We offer a new pharmaceutical, achieving an almost healthy blood flow due to an increased growth of collateral vessels. For that immune cells of the patient are used, giving reason to expect a good tolerance and thereby avoiding rejection reactions and the transmission of pathogens.

Prevention of Graft versus Host Disease

Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) is one of the major complications associated with transplantation. It is caused by donor T cells, which recognize the genetically dissimilar recipient and therefore attack the host’s body cells. At present there is no effective therapy available. We offer a simple method, whereby the transplant once is treated ex vivo with a well known substance prior to transplantation. For that only a very low concentration of the substance and a short incubation time are used. Remarkably, GVHD is reduced significantly. Due to the ex vivo treatment no side effects are expected.

Tumour therapy with more effective chlorine compounds

Photodynamic tumour therapy (PDT) is a promising minimal-invasive method in the treatment of cancer. PDT is based on a method for the treatment of cancer with light in combination with a so-called  photosensitizer.

In contrast to traditional photosensitisers, the chlorine compounds developed at and patented by the University of Bremen show amphiphilic (both hydrophilic and lipophilic) properties. The combination of lipophilic and non-ionic hydrophilic structure parts enables both good transport properties via the bloodstream and increased accumulation in the tumour tissue.

Due to the synthesis of the novel photosenitisers, exceedingly suitable candidates as active substances have been formed with the potential to improve the photodynamic therapy and its effectiveness. Moreover, the chemical process for the production of these compounds has been improved, enabling for the first time the clinical use of the structurally challenging photosensitisers in an economic way.

Initial experiments to verify the effectiveness have been carried out in vitro. The next step will be the verification in the animal model. We are looking for partner companies interested in the further development of the active substance using the patent.

Ceramic Coatings – Surface with antibacterial and antifouling properties

University of Bremen developed a ceramic coating which comprises a special microstructure based on chemically inert oxide nanoparticles. Furthermore, the ceramic surface has a biofunctional effect due to a lysozyme which adheres to it. This results in a high grade of strength and resistance and has an extremely effective antimicrobial effect.

The new material provides effective surface protection from an environmental and health perspective against abrasion, corrosion and bacterial deposition. It is therefore suitable for use in processes involving the handling and processing of foodstuffs. It offers an alternative to the use of biocides and antibiotics in combating biofilms, and even prevents their formation altogether.
In addition to the antimicrobial effect, the surface provides all the advantages of a ceramic coating: strength, mechanical resilience and chemical inertia. By protecting the surface, this ultimately prolongs the service life of the systems, reduces the amount of cleaning required, and leads to cost-savings. Furthermore, the use of the body’s own lysozymes means that the surface is also suitable for coating implants for preventing contamination during operation.

Laboratory tests were carried out successfully to check the activity of the lysozymes immobilized on the ceramic surface. For that purpose, a continuous flow system was developed in which harsh ambient conditions were simulated using a supply of model microorganisms and aggressive ingredients. The micro-moulding method is universally applicable on a diverse range of surfaces and geometries. The surface must be adjusted and further developed for the relevant application.

RedVersIn: The fastest and most reliable red-light induced protein expression system for mammalian cells

RedVersIn provides an expression system that was specifically developed to match the high demands in the production of protein-based biopharmaceuticals in mammalian cells and is perfectly adapted to batch production systems. RedVersIn is also very useful in manufacturing proteins that are otherwise difficult to produce, especially for unstable and sensitive proteins as well as proteins that have cytotoxic or cytostatic properties. RedVersIn excels itself by a proven functionality in several of the industrially established mammalian cell lines and by being tunable and reversible with very fast reaction kinetics. RedVersIn is a reversible optically controlled gene expression system for mammalian cell systems based on the redlight-controlled Phytochrome. It allows an easy and powerful spatiotemporally induction of gene expression in cells, tissues and organisms.

Wet-chemical production of amorphous or crystalline metal oxide nanoparticles for self-cleaning surfaces, sun blockers, semiconductor sensors and catalytic convertors.

This development allows for wet-chemical production of non-agglomerating nanoparticles (e.g. titanium oxide, zinc oxide) from metal salts. To do so, metal salts are mixed with a reaction and stability reagent. Amorphous or crystalline metal oxide nanoparticles can then be produced depending on the reaction calibration. These can be further processed during dispersion or separated from the solvent. The metal oxide nanoparticles obtained from this can be used in this form or dispersed in another solvent, e.g. water.

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