Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune Diseases

Research on the antioxidant pathway comprising the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its cytoplasmic inhibitor Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) is ever increasing. As modulators of this pathway have started to be used in clinical trials and clinic...

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Main Authors: Dionysios V. Chartoumpekis, Chun-Yan Fu, Panos G. Ziros, Gerasimos P. Sykiotis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
Series:Antioxidants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/9/11/1138
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author Dionysios V. Chartoumpekis
Chun-Yan Fu
Panos G. Ziros
Gerasimos P. Sykiotis
author_facet Dionysios V. Chartoumpekis
Chun-Yan Fu
Panos G. Ziros
Gerasimos P. Sykiotis
author_sort Dionysios V. Chartoumpekis
collection DOAJ
description Research on the antioxidant pathway comprising the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its cytoplasmic inhibitor Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) is ever increasing. As modulators of this pathway have started to be used in clinical trials and clinical practice, Nrf2 has become the subject of several patents. To assess the patent landscape of the last three years on Nrf2 and evaluate the main fields they refer to, we used the web-based tool PatSeer Pro to identify patents mentioning the Nrf2 pathway between January 2017 and May 2020. This search resulted in 509 unique patents that focus on topics such as autoimmune, neurodegenerative, liver, kidney, and lung diseases and refer to modulators (mainly activators) of the Nrf2 pathway as potential treatments. Autoimmunity emerged as the main theme among the topics of Nrf2 patents, including a broad range of diseases, such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, etc.; however, there was a dearth of experimental support for the respective patents’ claims. Given that chronic inflammation is the main element of the pathophysiology of most autoimmune diseases, the majority of patents referring to activation of Nrf2 as a method to treat autoimmune diseases base their claims on the well-established anti-inflammatory role of Nrf2. In conclusion, there is strong interest in securing intellectual property rights relating to the potential use of Nrf2 pathway activators in a variety of diseases, and this trend parallels the rise in related research publications. However, in the case of autoimmunity, more research is warranted to support the potential beneficial effects of Nrf2 modulation in each disease.
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spelling doaj.art-38846ee2d9724d68a0db489b31b379b62023-11-20T21:11:41ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212020-11-01911113810.3390/antiox9111138Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune DiseasesDionysios V. Chartoumpekis0Chun-Yan Fu1Panos G. Ziros2Gerasimos P. Sykiotis3Service of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Lausanne University Hospital, and Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaService of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Lausanne University Hospital, and Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandService of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Lausanne University Hospital, and Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandResearch on the antioxidant pathway comprising the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its cytoplasmic inhibitor Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) is ever increasing. As modulators of this pathway have started to be used in clinical trials and clinical practice, Nrf2 has become the subject of several patents. To assess the patent landscape of the last three years on Nrf2 and evaluate the main fields they refer to, we used the web-based tool PatSeer Pro to identify patents mentioning the Nrf2 pathway between January 2017 and May 2020. This search resulted in 509 unique patents that focus on topics such as autoimmune, neurodegenerative, liver, kidney, and lung diseases and refer to modulators (mainly activators) of the Nrf2 pathway as potential treatments. Autoimmunity emerged as the main theme among the topics of Nrf2 patents, including a broad range of diseases, such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, etc.; however, there was a dearth of experimental support for the respective patents’ claims. Given that chronic inflammation is the main element of the pathophysiology of most autoimmune diseases, the majority of patents referring to activation of Nrf2 as a method to treat autoimmune diseases base their claims on the well-established anti-inflammatory role of Nrf2. In conclusion, there is strong interest in securing intellectual property rights relating to the potential use of Nrf2 pathway activators in a variety of diseases, and this trend parallels the rise in related research publications. However, in the case of autoimmunity, more research is warranted to support the potential beneficial effects of Nrf2 modulation in each disease.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/9/11/1138nuclear factor erythroid 2-like factor 2 (Nfe2l2)oxidative stresstext miningpatent landscapeautoimmunity
spellingShingle Dionysios V. Chartoumpekis
Chun-Yan Fu
Panos G. Ziros
Gerasimos P. Sykiotis
Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune Diseases
Antioxidants
nuclear factor erythroid 2-like factor 2 (Nfe2l2)
oxidative stress
text mining
patent landscape
autoimmunity
title Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune Diseases
title_full Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune Diseases
title_fullStr Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune Diseases
title_full_unstemmed Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune Diseases
title_short Patent Review (2017–2020) of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Using PatSeer Pro: Focus on Autoimmune Diseases
title_sort patent review 2017 2020 of the keap1 nrf2 pathway using patseer pro focus on autoimmune diseases
topic nuclear factor erythroid 2-like factor 2 (Nfe2l2)
oxidative stress
text mining
patent landscape
autoimmunity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/9/11/1138
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