Guangming Zhong, M.D., Ph.D., (left) from the UT Health Science Center San Antonio and Bernard Arulanandam, Ph.D., M.B.A., have been conducting research involving chlamydia for a combined total of 40 years.
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Contact: Will Sansom, 210-567-2579

SAN ANTONIO (May 4, 2011) — Researchers from the UT Health Science Center San Antonio and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) have together received a U.S. patent based on discoveries the trio made while researching Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacterium that causes chlamydia infections. The patent protects intellectual property related to chlamydia prevention and treatment.

The researchers are Guangming Zhong, M.D., Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, and UTSA researchers Bernard Arulanandam, Ph.D., M.B.A., The Jane and Roland Blumberg Professor in Biology and associate dean of research for scientific innovation, and Ashlesh Murthy, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the College of Sciences’ Department of Biology and in the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Chlamydia is among the world’s most common sexually transmitted diseases. In the United States alone, it strikes nearly 3 million people annually and is particularly common in those aged 25 years or younger. Chlamydia is treacherous because it does not always cause symptoms. As a result, many people are unaware they have the disease and do not receive prompt medical treatment. Especially dangerous for women, chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility or potentially fatal ectopic pregnancies.

"Drs. Zhong, Murthy and I have been working for many years to better understand the mechanisms of chlamydia infection and to find ways to prevent or treat the disease," Dr. Arulanandam said. "When the research was licensed to Merck in 2008 to develop a vaccine, this intellectual property was included.”

The researchers have focused their work on the antigen known as chlamydia protease-like activity factor, or CPAF, initially discovered in the Zhong lab. The CPAF protein is made and secreted by the C. trachomatis bacterium.

In 2008, The University of Texas Board of Regents licensed significant portions of Arulanandam, Zhong and Murthy’s CPAF-related work to Merck. The licensing agreement was facilitated by South Texas Technology Management, a regional technology transfer office that supports commercialization activities at the UT Health Science Center, UTSA, The University of Texas-Pan American, The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas State University.

Zhong has conducted research for more than 25 years in chlamydia pathogenesis and vaccine development, while Arulanandam has researched vaccine development and mucosal immunity for nearly 15 years. Murthy joined the team in 2001 as the first student in UTSA's doctoral degree program in cellular and molecular biology. He graduated from the program in 2006 and continues to research chlamydia in Arulanandam’s laboratory at UTSA.

"We are very pleased with this patent," said Murthy. "Ultimately, that is why we are conducting this research. We want to improve public health. We want to turn the tables on this disease."

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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, one of the country’s leading health sciences universities, ranks in the top 3 percent of all institutions worldwide receiving U.S. federal funding. Research and other sponsored program activity totaled $228 million in fiscal year 2010. The university’s schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions and graduate biomedical sciences have produced approximately 26,000 graduates. The $744 million operating budget supports eight campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. For more information on the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit www.uthscsa.edu.

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STTM is the UT technology transfer office serving UT Health Science Center San Antonio, UT San Antonio and other institutions in the South Texas region. STTM provides leadership in promoting innovation and technology transfer through proactive management of IP, technology development and commercialization to support the missions of member institutions, advance regional economic development and benefit the public. Please refer to www.utsttm.org to learn more about STTM or other innovative UT technologies.