WARF Advances in Health Care | February 2026

WARF ADVANCES
Top licensing prospects from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Recyclable Protein Degraders Could Boost Cancer Immunotherapy
McR-TACs, a new class of protein degrader that targets disease-related proteins on and outside cells, are recycled by cells after breaking down target proteins, meaning fewer doses may be needed to maintain treatment effects.
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Treating Epilepsy and Reducing the Incidence of Seizures
This strategy for stopping seizures in patients suffering from acquired epilepsy utilizes Tofacitinib, a JAK/STAT inhibitor currently prescribed to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
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Targeted Eye Therapy Could Improve Treatment for Vision Loss
This highly targeted new therapy for retinal diseases works by eliminating VEGF - a protein that triggers abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye - precisely at the site of disease.
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Acoustic Subwavelength Imaging System
UW researchers developed an acoustic imaging system that can resolve object features substantially smaller than the point spread function of the system, making the technique practical for biomedical imaging.
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Piezoelectric Stents with Self-Powered Anti-Restenosis Properties
The new stent design uses piezoelectric biomaterials to generate a localized, low-intensity electric field driven by blood pressure fluctuations to prevent the accumulation of smooth muscle cells.
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Enhancing Low Vision Reading Using Eye-Tracking Technology
This method tracks and models low vision user gazes, recognizes intent and generates multimodal augmentations to improve reader performance in visual tasks, providing a better reader experience with less eye fatigue and discomfort.
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