Yin, Watkins awarded patent for novel medication

Two CU-Boulder faculty members, Hang ‘Hubert’ Yin (chemistry and  biochemistry) and Linda Watkins (psychology and neuroscience), recently received a patent for novel drugs modulating the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway. The drugs are useful as an independent treatment for chronic pain, and can also be used to help make opioid painkillers (such as Percocet and Vicodin) more effective and less likely to result in addiction and dependency. This technology has been optioned to a publicly traded biopharma company for further development.

The CU Technology Transfer Office filed a patent application on behalf of the university in September 2009; patent protection also is pending in Europe, Japan and several other regions. The patent (U.S. 8,642,614, “Toll-like Receptor Modulators and Uses Thereof”) was issued on Feb. 4, 2014.