Pitt innovators were issued six U.S. patents in November 2025.
Featured patent: 12,478,594: Methods of Treatment of Kidney Injury Associated With Infection or Trauma
Pitt innovators led by John Kellum, Distinguished Professor of Critical Care Medicine, Medicine, Bioengineering, and Clinical and Translational Science, have found that the timing of when a new drug, UPHD186, is given can make a big difference in recovery for patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (S-AKI). S-AKI is a serious complication in critically ill patients, greatly increasing the risk of death and long-term kidney damage. They discovered that giving UPHD186 too early—while the kidneys are still inflamed—can actually slow healing. Waiting until inflammation subsides allows the drug to work better, helping the kidneys repair and reducing the chance of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Why this matters: S-AKI affects up to half of patients with septic shock, and many survivors face lifelong dialysis or transplant. This approach could save lives and prevent permanent kidney damage by ensuring treatment is timed correctly.
For more information on this technology, including licensing details, contact us at partner@pitt.edu.
Below is a listing of all patents issued in November 2025.
| Patent Number |
Title | Inventor(s) | Licensing Manager | Status | |||
| 12,458,270 | Electrocardiographic Identification of Non-ST Elevation Cardiac Events | Clifton Callaway; Salah Al-Zaiti; Ervin Sejdic | Janice Panza | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,456,630 | Small Peptide Compositions and Uses Thereof | Jesse Jaynes; Monte Willis; Richard Bodnar; Cecelia Yates-Binder; Zariel Johnson | Janice Panza | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,479,816 | 20-HETE Formation Inhibitors | David Koes; Lee McDermott; Samuel Poloyac; Shabber Mohammed | Katherine Gadacz | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,478,594 | Methods of Treatment of Kidney Injury Associated With Infection or Trauma | John Kellum; Neil Hukriede; Xiaoyan Wen | Maria Vanegas | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,462,708 | Training Simulator for Direct Laryngoscopy | James Snyder; Steven Orebaugh | Connor Perryman | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,458,673 | Use of Specific Phages for the Treatment of Nontuberculosis Mycobacteria Infections
|
Graham Hatfull; Carlos Guerrero; Rebekah Dedrick | Maria Vanegas | Available for Licensing |