2021年8月8日、株式会社ギャップジャンクションと学校法人順天堂は
「難聴およびギャップ結合関連疾患の治療法開発」に関する研究協力の覚書を締結した
これにより順天堂大学医学部耳鼻咽喉科学講座における
以下の知財を含む研究成果の実用化、事業化、基礎・臨床研究に関する協力を行う

2022年3月9日、株式会社ギャップジャンクションと学校法人順天堂は
以下の知財の専用実施権・仮専用実施権の契約を締結した

Patents & Patent Applications

いずれもギャップジャンクション社が専用実施権・仮専用実施権を取得

Overview

METHOD FOR PRODUCING INNER EAR CELLS（JP,2018-501697）

Provided is a method for the efficient production, from pluripotent stem cells, of inner ear cells having connexin 26 gap junctions. The method for producing inner ear cells having connexin 26 gap junctions is characterized in that pluripotent stem cell-derived embryoid bodies are cultured in the presence of cochlea-derived feeder cells. Fukunaga et al., Stem Cell Rep, 7(6), 1023 - 1036, 2016

METHOD FOR SCREENING GAP JUNCTION FUNCTION REGULATOR (JP,2019-149966)

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for easily and efficiently selecting a material that can control the function of a gap junction. SOLUTION: Provided is a method for evaluating or selecting a gap junction plaque fragmentation control agent or a gap junction function control agent. The method comprises the following steps of: (a) culturing cells capable of forming fragmented gap junction plaques on a multi-well plate; (b) bringing the test substance into contact with the cultured cells cultured in the above step; (c) visualizing gap junction plaques, cell membranes, and cell nuclei; (d) acquiring an image of a region containing the gap junction plaques; (e) measuring the diameter, area, or roundness of a gap junction plaque in contact with a cell region of one cell from the acquired image to select and record the maximum diameter, maximum area, or minimum roundness therefrom; and (f) evaluating or selecting a gap junction plaque fragmentation control agent or a gap junction function control agent by comparing the maximum diameter, maximum area, or minimum roundness with a reference value.

METHOD FOR PRODUCING INNER EAR CELL（JP,2021-072002）

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for efficiently producing an inner ear cell having connexin 26 gap junction from a pluripotent stem cell. SOLUTION: A method for producing an inner ear cell having connexin 26 gap junction includes culturing an embryoid body, which is a pluripotent stem cell cultured in the presence of insulin, in the presence of a cochlea-derived feeder cell. Fukunaga et al., Hum Mol Genet, 30(15), 1429-1442, 2021

MODIFIED ADENO-ASSOCIATED VIRUS VECTOR（JP,2021-198101）

As a modified adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector having excellent infection directionality to epithelial cells typified by inner ear epithelial cells, provided is a modified AAV vector in which some amino acid residues in the capsid sequence of the wild adeno-associated virus are substituted by other amino acid residues. In this modified AAV vector, one or more amino acid residues selected from among (1) 129th (Leu), (2) 268th (Ser), (3) 447th (Asn), (4) 470th (Gly), (5) 472nd (Ser), (6) 473rd (Thr), (7) 502nd (Thr) and (8) 531st (Glu) of the AAV1 capsid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or amino acid residues at equivalent positions are substituted by other amino acid residues.

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