Water Harvesting
WBI has developed materials that can be used to extract water from the vapor phase and then release the water for collection. Applications in desalination and air – water harvesting are initial targets. We have designed proprietary composition of matter polymers that respond to different wavelengths of light (long UV) to become more hydrophilic in the presence of light, and less hydrophilic in the absence of light. We have demonstrated and quantified the increase and decrease of water affinity in both states. Systems are envisioned that operate under long-term daily solar cycles to rapid millisecond pulses.
Triggered Extraction
A surfactant is a molecule that has a large hydrophobic region and a small polar group that self assembles in aqueous environments to create micellular structures. These structures allow for water-insoluble components to collect within them so as to mobilize and solubilize them within aqueous systems. WBI has designed several classes of molecules that trigger their surfactancy on or off. Systems have been designed that function on their own or enhance traditional surfactant systems. There are several industrially viable applications for this technology: solventless natural products extraction, solventless surface coatings, aqueous encapsulation/delivery technologies, laundry and many others.
Photo-Osmotic Materials
Osmosis is a colligative property that is dependent upon the total number of dissolved species in a given volume of water. The laws of thermodynamics require chemical potentials to constantly be seeking out equilibrium conditions. WBI has invented a family of molecules whose molecular and aggregate solubilities can be controlled by irradiation of UV and visible light. We have demonstrated that positive and negative osmotic pressures can be created across semipermeable membranes. Applications for this technology are numerous, with the two most notable being water purification and energy generation/storage. Part of this work was funded by the US Department of Energy.
Low Temperature Processed Metal Oxides
Typical processing of photocatalytic TiO2 semiconductor materials requires sintering at elevated temperature. (>450 oC). WBI has developed a technology that allows similar films and structure to be created at room temperature. In addition to the obvious energy cost savings, this reduced temperature technology enables the use of a wider variety of inexpensive and bio-based substrates.
Rilyazines
WBI has developed a proprietary family of small molecules with novel composition of matter that shows promise as selective cytostatic anti-cancer agents. A set of four subclasses of compounds were initially designed and synthesized. Representatives of each class were submitted to the NIH NCI cancer screen program (RL-1.0, RL-2.0, RL-3.0 and RL-4.0). One of the four compounds (RL-4.0) showed cytostatic behavior, inhibiting growth in 55 of the 60 cancer cell lines tested at single point dosage of 10 mM. 17 cell lines displayed >= 60% inhibition. Notable standouts of ~90% inhibition were seen for HCT-116 Colon Cancer, SK-MEL-5 Melanoma and PC-3 Prostrate Cancer. Based on these results additional analogs of RL-4.0 were synthesized to begin exploration of structure-activity space. Three additional compounds (RL-4.1, RL-4.2 and RL-4.3) were submitted to the NIH NCI cancer screen program. RL-4.2 and RL-4.3 demonstrated similar behavior to RL-4.0, picking up additional activities in ovarian cancer (OVCAR-3) and breast cancer (MCF7).
Based on these results, we seek to synthesize several dozen additional analogs of RL-4 to optimize potential activity against the various cancer cell lines. Physiological stability, mechanism of action, and toxicology screening needs to be performed on the expanded set of molecules for lead selection.
US Pat. Appl. US 20150065510.
PCT Int. Appl. WO 2015034785.
Azaphenylenes
WBI has developed a proprietary family of small molecules with novel composition of matter that shows promise as an Alzheimer’s Disease therapy. Nearly 100 derivatives of the novel ring system have been synthesized and evaluated by fluorescent protein disaggregation using an in vitro bis-ANS assay. Molecular structure has been optimized to provide molecules that show effective EC50 dosages at nanomolar concentrations. Some preliminary pharmicokinetics has been performed in mice, showing brain penetration (100s – 1000s ng/g) of compounds and good brain half-lives (1 – 2.3 h). Cognition studies in mice (CVN Variant) were carried out at Charles River Labs (Kuopio, Finland) and correlated protein disaggregation studies were performed. Improved cognition (Open field, RAWN and Barnes Maze) was observed and protein disaggregation (Ab 1-42 and Ab 1-40) correlated in our experimental compounds. There are several concerns regarding the reliability of the results from these tests, but preliminary toxicity results are extremely promising based on the survivability of the mice at extended dosing.
Based on these results, we seek to synthesize more compounds to improve our knowledge of SAR with respect to brain penetration. Cognition tests must be repeated with better controls and with an expanded set of molecules.
US Pat. Appl. US 20140094487.
PCT Int. Appl. WO 2014052906.
Chillmaws
WBI has developed a proprietary family of small molecules with novel composition of matter that shows promise for disaggregation of “strangely folded proteins”. The aggregation of these misshapen proteins are believed to be mechanistically associated with several diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, cystic fibrosis and cataracts. Approximately 20 compounds have been synthesized and evaluated by fluorescent protein disaggregation using an in vitro bis-ANS assay. Early results show effective dosages at nanomolar concentrations. Some preliminary pharmicokinetics has been performed in mice, showing no brain penetration.
Based on these early stage results, we seek to synthesize several more compounds to (1) optimized disaggregation properties while maintaining absence of brain penetration for non-CNS diseases, and (2) maintain disaggregation properties while optimizing brain penetration for CNS diseases.
Lithium Cobalt recovery from Lithium Batteries
WBI has created an aqueous floatation system to recover lithium cobalt from e-waste batteries. This technology has been reproduced at laboratory scale with high efficiency and reproducibility. We seek to create pilot scale systems to optimize conditions for commercialization.
US Pat. Appl. US 20140306162
PCT Int. Appl. WO 2012177620
EP 2724413
CN 103620861