Arecor Therapeutics PLC (AIM:AREC) has expanded its patent portfolio with new protections in the US and Europe for its ultra-concentrated insulin product, AT278, and filed a new patent covering its oral peptide delivery technology.
The Cambridge-based biopharmaceutical company said the additional patents strengthen its intellectual property around AT278, described as the only ultra-concentrated, ultra-rapid insulin currently in development.
The treatment is designed to work with automated insulin delivery systems, with the potential to extend their wear time and allow for smaller, more compact devices.
Arecor said the US patent protects key formulations and uses of AT278, while a European patent has been approved for grant by the European Patent Office.
Alongside this, the company has filed a separate European patent application for technology aimed at improving the oral absorption of complex peptide drugs.
Peptides are increasingly used to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity, but they are typically given by injection because they are broken down in the digestive system before they can take effect.
Arecor’s new formulation approach seeks to overcome that challenge and improve how much of the drug is absorbed when taken by mouth. Further patent filings are expected as research continues.
Dr Jan Jezek, Arecor’s chief scientific officer, said: “As an innovative company developing novel therapies and platforms, protecting our IP is essential to our business.
"We are pleased to have received additional patent protection in Europe and the US for AT278 and to have filed our first patent in the oral peptide delivery space.”
The company said the latest grants and filings strengthen what it called a “robust global intellectual property portfolio” supporting its drug development pipeline.