Imugene Ltd (ASX:IMU, OTC:IUGNF) welcomes the extension of a new patent from the United States Patent Office – number 11,684,929 – for its immunotherapeutic asset PD1-Vaxx, which is in development for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
This extension will now see the patent entitled 'Human PD1 peptide vaccines and uses thereof' expire on February 11, 2040, including 685 days of patent term adjustment added to the original expiry date of March 28, 2038.
Anti-cancer effect
The company’s PD1-Vaxx first-in-class programmed death-1 (PD1) vaccine is a B-cell activating immunotherapy designed to treat tumours such as lung cancer by interfering with PD-1/PD-L1 binding and interaction.
It produces an anti-cancer effect similar to Tecentriq®, Keytruda®, Opdivo® and other immune checkpoint inhibitor monoclonal antibodies that are transforming the treatment of a range of cancers.
Imugene MD & CEO Leslie Chong said: “With the US being the largest healthcare market in the world, this is a particularly important patent extension to protect our PD1-Vaxx technology as we continue its development.”
The patent protects the composition of matter and method of treatment in cancer of Imugene’s PD1-Vaxx for the generation of a therapeutic antibody response against the PD1 checkpoint target.
Read more about Imugene’s push into the United States.
About Imugene
Imugene, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company, is working on a range of immunotherapies to activate the immune system of cancer patients to treat and eradicate tumours.
Using platform technologies, Imugene aims to leverage the body's immune system to fight against tumours, potentially achieving similar or even superior results compared to artificially produced monoclonal antibodies and other types of immunotherapies.
The company's product pipeline consists of multiple candidates for B-cell vaccines, which are immunotherapies, as well as an oncolytic virotherapy called CF33.
These treatments are designed to be used in combination with standard care drugs and emerging immunotherapies like CAR T-cell therapies, particularly for solid tumours.
Imugene believes its immuno-oncology therapies will become fundamental treatments for cancer, and aims to be at the forefront of this rapidly expanding global market.