Therapeutical tools and methods for treating blindness
AssigneeFriedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
InventorsDavid Balya, Volker Busskamp, Pamela Lagali, Botond Roska
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present inventions relates to the use of an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a hyperpolarizing light-gated ion channel or pump gene from an archeon or for a light-active fragment of said gene, or the nucleotide sequence complementary to said nucleotide sequence, for treating or ameliorating blindness. The light-gated ion channel or pump gene can be a halorhodopsin gene.
Claims18
An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence coding in a 5′ to 3′ orientation for:
- (a) a human rhodopsin promoter or human red opsin promoter;
- and
- (b) a Natronomas pharaonis (NpHR) hyperpolarizing light-gated ion channel or pump gene or a light-active fragment of the gene.
A method of treating or ameliorating blindness in a subject, the method comprising:
- administering to a retinal cell of the subject an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence coding in a 5′ to 3′ orientation for:
- (a) a human rhodopsin promoter or human red opsin promoter operably linked to;
- and
- (b) a Natronomas pharaonis (NpHR) hyperpolarizing light-gated ion channel or pump gene or a light-active fragment of the gene,
- thereby treating or ameliorating blindness in the subject.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.