Moleculera Labs expects patent for test

Local medical research firm Moleculera Labs anticipates being awarded a patent that protects the tests it developed as an aid in diagnosis of a disorder that affects the health and behavior of children.

Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococci (PANDAS), is an autoimmune condition initially triggered by strep infections, which disrupts normal neurological activity. PANDAS and a related condition, PANS, Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, are a major focus for Madeleine Cunningham, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

Moleculera also trademarked the name “Cunningham Panel.” In the difficult journey of commercializing research, the patent is a major achievement.

Children suffering from PANDAS/PANS often are misdiagnosed for years, or treated with antipsychotics, which aren’t effective for autoimmune-based disorders.

Physicians in 49 of the 50 states, as well as countries around the world, have ordered more than 5,000 tests to aid in the diagnosis of PANDAS/PANS, said Craig Shimasaki, Ph.D., the firm’s president and CEO.

Moleculera’s new patent also is a success for OU’s Office of Technology Development, which helps researchers protect and commercialize their discoveries.