Invention at Florida Atlantic University Helps Cancer Prevention
The Sun Sentinel reports that Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton has licensed rights to a therapy that will be used to treat pre-cancerious skin conditions frequently found in Florida. The discovery has caught the eye of two medical industry entrepeneurs that hope to further develop and market this therapy.
One of the principal uses of the therapy would be to treated actinic keratosis, lesions that appear on the face and body after exposure to the sun. The therapy consists of a topical gel comprised of an existing cancer drug whose patent has expired, combined with another chemical composition that adds a modified oxygen form.
The therapy developed at FAU is still several years away from the market, as clinical trials are required. However, the university could receive payments during this process, and eventually sales royalties.
One important advantage of the FAU discovery is that it does not appear to damage healthy cells, unlike existing AK treatments, which can produce discomfort and minor scarring.
In order to safeguard the patent application that has been filed with the United States Patent & Trademark Office, those involved in the FAU discovery declined to name the exact chemicals utilized in the therapy.