Rx License-Rx

14-6881-tpNCS

Protein Drugs Encapsulated in Plant Cells as Low-Cost Prevention and Treatment of Lung Injury in COVID-19 Patients

Use of functional recombinant ACE2 and Angiotensin-(1-7) proteins to improve the clinical course of patients with symptomatic COVID-19 infection. Problem: COVID-19 is associated with high rates of respiratory failure, cardiac injury and death. Patients suffering from COVID-19 generally present with reduced expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and depletion of ACE2’s protein product, the anti-inflammatory peptide Angiotensin-(1-7). This down-regulation of ACE2 expression is induced by viral invasion of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 disease. Decreased ACE2 expression has been linked to acute respiratory distress, severe lung injury, multi-organ failure and death, especially in older patients. Solution: As a potential treatment for the severe complications of COVID-19 disease, oral supplementation of ACE2 and Angiotensin-(1-7) are being tested in a clinical trial to determine whether this intervention elicits...

Intelligence Memo

Owner: University of Pennsylvania

Core category: Therapeutics

Therapeutic area: Inflammation

Indication: Respiratory disease

Modality: Biologic

Focus tags: Inflammation, Cardiometabolic, Infectious Disease

Technology tags: Biologic, Drug Delivery, Cell/Gene Therapy

Mechanism:

Development stage: Clinical

Patent status: US 10,314,893 US 10,806,775 US 11,241,487 US 12,059,454 EP 3,058,074 CA 2,957,211

Availability: Available for license

Plain-English Licensing Breakdown

This is a license opportunity for a therapeutic asset or drug-enabling technology in Inflammation. In plain English, the buyer would be licensing science that could become a treatment program, usually after more validation. The current package appears to be clinical and is associated with University of Pennsylvania. The practical first use case is Respiratory disease. Public description: Use of functional recombinant ACE2 and Angiotensin-(1-7) proteins to improve the clinical course of patients with symptomatic COVID-19 infection. Problem: COVID-19 is associated with high rates of respiratory failure, cardiac injury and.

What is exciting

More mature than a typical academic invention: Prior human, regulatory, or deployment evidence can shorten diligence and make strategic buyers more comfortable.

Delivery can refresh known biology: A better route, depot, local exposure profile, or targeted formulation can create new IP and reduce systemic risk around existing mechanisms.

Hot modality with strategic appetite: Cell and gene therapy buyers care when there is a crisp antigen, genetic subgroup, potency assay, or manufacturing shortcut.

The License-Rx pivot is the real unlock: The exciting version is not just the university pitch; it is the focused path: Target a resistant-pathogen niche with regulatory pull instead of a broad anti-infective launch

Negatives / diligence concerns

Clinical context matters: A clinical-stage label is only useful if the trial design, population, endpoints, safety signal, and follow-on plan are strong.

Manufacturing can dominate the budget: Potency assays, vector or cell process reproducibility, release testing, and COGS can become bigger risks than the biology.

Exposure advantage must be real: Delivery stories fail when biodistribution, local tolerability, stability, or payload compatibility does not beat simpler alternatives.

Risk Flags

  • Human validation and clinical path require diligence.
  • Patent scope and remaining exclusivity need review with counsel.
  • Inventor readiness and licensing terms are not yet verified.

Strategic Pharma Attractiveness

Large pharma would care if this becomes more than an interesting university-originated technology: it needs a crisp Inflammation wedge, a measurable value inflection, and a diligence package that makes the first deal feel like an option on upside rather than a blind research bet.

Most logical pharma targets GSK — Vaccines and anti-infective infrastructure. Pfizer — Hospital, anti-infective, and vaccine commercial reach. Johnson & Johnson — Pathogen-focused development and global health channels.

Development Strategy to Increase PoS

First indication: Respiratory disease

Study design: One decisive preclinical or analytical validation package with a hard go/no-go threshold.

Key experiments Validate the AI-optimized pivot: Target a resistant-pathogen niche with regulatory pull instead of a broad anti-infective launch Run independent replication of the core claim with pre-specified success criteria Generate a partner-facing risk register that separates solved, testable, and unresolved risks

Final Recommendation

Proceed with repositioning: Worth a short exclusive option if diligence confirms IP scope and inventor data quality. The most investable version is: Target a resistant-pathogen niche with regulatory pull instead of a broad anti-infective launch

Best next experiment: Run the smallest independent study that validates: Run pathogen-panel susceptibility, resistance mapping, and one translational model before any broad tox spend.

Best licensing timing: Begin BD conversations after the next validation package; pursue a license, option, or asset sale once the first value inflection is visible.