Roquefort Therapeutics PLC (LSE:ROQ, OTCQB:ROQAF) has secured a patent in Japan for its Mesodermal Killer (MK) cell therapy, a breakthrough in cancer and immune system treatments. This follows a similar intellectual property protection in Europe earlier this month.
Developed by Roquefort director and Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Martin Evans, MK cells are a new type of therapeutic cell. They directly target disease and activate Natural Killer (NK) cells, boosting the body’s immune response. This makes MK cells a promising option for treating cancers and immune system disorders.
The patent opens significant commercial opportunities in Japan, a market where the company's leadership team has extensive experience. It can now partner with major Japanese pharmaceutical companies.
Additionally, the Japanese approval offers an accelerated pathway for drug development. If MK cells prove safe in early clinical trials, they may receive faster market approval based on just phase I and II trials. This would reduce the time and cost involved in bringing the therapy to patients.
Roquefort acquired the MK program in 2022 and has seen promising results in pre-clinical trials, where MK cells enhanced the effectiveness of NK cells. The company plans to begin further testing in Japan and Australia, aiming to advance the therapy into clinical trials and potentially reach the market sooner.
"The granting of this Japan patent for MK cell therapy highlights both the quality of our intellectual property and the novelty of the MK cells together with the enhanced commercial opportunity in Japan," said CEO Ajan Reginald.
"The granted patent creates the opportunity for the company to out-license the MK cell rights for the territory of Japan to a Japanese big pharma company.
"Japan is the most sophisticated cell therapy market, with a high number of potential partners and an appealing accelerated pathway to market.
"The Roquefort Therapeutics board has the personal experience and a strong network from completing deals with Japan Big Pharma. We have initiated these discussions and will update the market in due course"