ZEUS Scientific has obtained exclusive, worldwide rights to the use of these synthetic peptides as targets of disease-specific autoantibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) from Sheba Medical Center’s, Tel Hashomer Medical Research, Infrastructure and Services Ltd. (Tel Hashomer Ltd.) the hospital’s Technology Transfer Company (TTO).
The inventors, Professor Howard Amital, Professor Yehuda Shoenfeld and Dr. Smadar Gertel from Sheba Medical Center, created synthetic peptides, including peptides comprising a plurality of epitopes, with each epitope being derived from a different protein, and peptides comprising a plurality of citrullinated residues (Patented by Sheba Medical Center (US Patent 9,975,944 B2).
ZEUS Scientific intends to utilize these innovative multi-epitope citrullinated peptides for the development of a new generation of immunoassays designed to measure autoantibodies as an aid in the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
This invention marks a new era in the evolution of citrullinated peptides.
“We are pleased to have executed this licensing agreement with Sheba Medical Center,” stated Scott Tourville, Chief Executive Officer of ZEUS Scientific, Inc. “We are hopeful that this new technology will ultimately lead to a portfolio of improved IVD products for the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis.”
“Prof. Amital and his colleagues developed unique citrullinated peptides composition for the benefit of diagnostic and treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease, which causes painful inflammation in the joints,” said Sylvie Luria, CEO of Tel Hashomer Medical Research, Infrastructure and Services Ltd. (Tel Hashomer Ltd.).
“We look forward to this collaboration with ZEUS Scientific around this important discovery, which has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis,” added Professor Eyal Zimlichman, Sheba Medical Center’s, Chief Medical and Innovation Officer.
The Global Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Diagnosis Tests Market is estimated to reach $766.7 million dollars by 2026, while the RA Therapeutics Market was valued at $25.363 billion dollars in 2019 and expected to reach $35.98 billion by 2026.