The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 09, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 16, 1997
Kevin J Scanlon, Pasadena, CA (US);
Mohammed Kashani-Sabet, San Francisco, CA (US);
City of Hope, Duarte, CA (US);
The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US);
Abstract
The steroid enzyme 5.alpha.-reductase is responsible for the conversion of testosterone to the more-potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The catalytic cleavage of nucleic acid encoding 5.alpha.-reductase by a ribozyme which selectively recognizes such nucleic acid reduces the level of expression of 5.alpha.-reductase by mammalian cells including human cells treated with such ribozyme. The reduction of nucleic acid (e.g. mRNA) levels leads to a corresponding reduction of enzyme levels and dihydrotestosterone levels in surrounding tissues, thus providing a therapeutic effect. The transformation of 5.alpha.-reductase producing cells with an expression vector containing a structural gene for a ribozyme is shown to decrease 5.alpha.-reductase expression. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods useful for topically administering effective amounts of such a ribozyme to hair follicle cells also are exemplified.