NSU Pharmaceutical Researcher Receives Japanese Patent for Developing New Cancer Treatment

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – Appu Rathinavelu, Ph.D., associate dean for institutional planning and development at Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) College of Pharmacy, and executive director of NSU’s Rumbaugh-Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research, received a Japanese patent for developing a novel cancer treatment.

Appu Rathinavelu, Ph.D.

The small organic molecule called “JFD” that he and his team discovered is anti-angiogenic, meaning it “starves” tumors and other cancer cells by preventing blood flow that supplies the tumors with oxygen and nutrients that would otherwise help them to grow and survive. This molecule is less expensive to manufacture, stable in storage, expected to be less toxic, and is more effective against solid tumors. It is specifically designed to battle breast, ovarian, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers.

“I am really proud to be a part of high quality drug research that can benefit people in many areas of the world,” said Rathinavelu. “This patent will help us as we pursue approval of this treatment for use with patients battling cancer in Japan.”

The title of the patent is “Small Molecule for Anti-Angiogenesis” (Japanese patent 5436544 B). Rathinavelu previously received a United States patent for this development (U.S. patent 7,875,603 B2).

Rathinavelu’s research efforts toward this discovery were partially funded by the Royal Dames of Cancer Research Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and a grant from the Florida Atlantic University Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology, awarded by the Florida Department of Education.

“To see research conducted at Nova Southeastern University potentially benefit people halfway across the globe is incredibly fulfilling and demonstrates our commitment to developing innovations that go beyond geographic boundaries,” said Gary S. Margules, Sc.D., NSU vice president for research and technology transfer.

In addition to the aforementioned patents for discovering JFD, Rathinavelu holds a U.S. patent for discovering a molecule called “F16” (U.S. patent 7,939,557 B2) that is more potent and is specifically designed to combat breast cancer cells.

Rathinavelu has published more than 40 peer-reviewed research articles, served on the editorial board of several scientific journals and committees, co-authored a text book and given more than 75 presentations at national and international conferences.

Rathinavelu received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Madras in India and conducted his postdoctoral training at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. In 1992, he joined the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Southeastern University’s College of Pharmacy, which merged with Nova to become Nova Southeastern University in 1994. He currently serves as associate dean for institutional planning and development at NSU’s College of Pharmacy, and executive director of NSU’s Rumbaugh-Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research.

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About NSU’s College of Pharmacy: NSU’s College of Pharmacy offers a challenging professional degree program of study in pharmacy that emphasizes the pharmaceutical sciences and patient-centered care. Presented with the use of innovative teaching modalities and the newest technology, the curriculum is designed to prepare pharmacy graduates for life-long learning and leadership capabilities as medication therapy managers in our nation’s healthcare system.  You will find our programs conducted by an exceptional, talented faculty committed to your education.  They, themselves, are agents of change in such diverse fields of research and practice as genomics, drug development, informatics, and pharmacotherapy. For more information, please visit http://pharmacy.nova.edu/.

About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 314 beautiful acres in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels.  NSU is a not-for-profit independent institution with 27,000 students. NSU awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. NSU is classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu. Celebrating 50 years of academic excellence!

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