Genflow Biosciences PLC (LSE:GENF, OTCQB:GENFF) CEO Dr Eric Leire talked with Proactive about the company's recent milestone – the granting of its second European patent, which he says is a key part of Genflow’s intellectual property strategy in the longevity and metabolic disease space.
Dr Leire explained that the patent strengthens the company’s position by providing protection not only for the composition of matter but also for specific methods of use, all focused around Sirtuin-6, a core element in the company’s technology platform. He stated, “We’re building a layer portfolio that combines property, construct, delivery method, and specific applications for human health.”
The new patent covers a 36 variant for NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), but Leire noted that the Sirtuin-6 platform has broader relevance for multiple age-related diseases, including glaucoma, sarcopenia, and other metabolic conditions.
He emphasised that strong IP is essential for entering into licensing and partnership discussions with pharmaceutical companies, adding, “Without strong IP protection, there's no potential deal with pharma.”
Looking ahead, Dr Leire said that Genflow is prioritising its ongoing dog study and will soon undertake a strategic review to determine which of the many potential indications to pursue further.
Proactive: Eric, very good to speak with you. It’s been a busy week for Genflow. Can you explain what the publication of the second European patent means for Genflow’s overall strategy and how it strengthens your position in the longevity and metabolic disease market?
Dr Eric Leire: Yes. We're quite happy with this progress. Our IP strategy is focused on strong protection around our Sirtuin-6 core technology — both the composition of matter and, with what we presented last week, methods of use that complement the patent. We're building a layered portfolio that combines proprietary constructs, delivery methods, and specific applications for human health.
This IP portfolio supports both our lead programme and potential partnerships. It creates optionality — we can license specific applications or maintain exclusivity where necessary. So it’s very good news. Our IP protection is strengthening. All good.
Proactive: How does the patent enhance opportunities for partnerships or licensing deals, and what kind of impact could it have on future revenue streams?
Dr Eric Leire: It’s very clear — in biotech, patent protection is key. If you want to make a deal with a pharma company, you need a strong IP position. Without that, there’s no potential deal. It’s as simple as that. Having multiple patents that create entry barriers is a prerequisite before we can even have those conversations.
We are a discovery and development company. At this stage, it would be very difficult for us to finance a Phase III development programme alone. For some of these programmes, partnership will be necessary. And again, without strong IP, there is no deal — we’re simply not interesting to potential partners.
Proactive: This patent focuses on a 36 variant for NASH. Could you outline how this technology can translate into treatments for metabolic or age-related diseases, and where it fits in your broader therapeutic pipeline?
Dr Eric Leire: Yes. All of our patents are centred around Sirtuin-6. We have a core patent — the one we talked about last week — that is close to being issued. That’s on composition of matter. Then this core technology is complemented by method-of-use patents for different indications — it could be glaucoma, sarcopenia, or other metabolic diseases.
Sirtuin-6 plays a major role in many age-related diseases. Today we’re talking about NASH, but we’ll be speaking again in the future about other indications. This patent is one illustration of our IP strategy.
Proactive: What should your investors be looking out for next from Genflow?
Dr Eric Leire: Right now, we are progressing our dog study — this is our priority. It's a short-term objective with potential for partnership when we demonstrate efficacy. We’re close to that.
We’re also moving forward with our broader portfolio. We’ll be conducting a strategic analysis of all the indications we could pursue with Sirtuin-6. We’re lucky to have multiple indications available, but with limited resources, we have to carefully identify the most promising one among the opportunities to treat age-related diseases.