Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTC:POLBF) has secured a European patent for its experimental drug aimed at treating severe influenza, a move the company says will help shore up its intellectual property as it pushes deeper into cancer-related therapies.
The London-listed group, which develops medicines that work by influencing the body’s immune responses, said the European Patent Office had approved protection for its compound known as POLB 001.
The drug is designed to block an enzyme called p38 MAP kinase, which plays a role in inflammation. By inhibiting it, researchers hope to calm excessive immune reactions.
Poolbeg argues the treatment could have uses well beyond flu. One area it highlights is so-called cytokine release syndrome, a dangerous surge of immune activity that can occur in people receiving certain cancer immunotherapy drugs.
The company has pointed to a potential market worth more than US$10 billion for treatments that can manage this side effect.
The business has spent recent years building a global portfolio of patents around the use of p38 MAP kinase inhibitors in severe influenza and cytokine release syndrome.
It said the latest approval should make POLB 001 more appealing to possible commercial partners.
Jeremy Skillington, the company’s chief executive, said: “This patent grant from the European Patent Office highlights the strong progress we continue to make in developing and strengthening our IP portfolio for POLB 001 across multiple disease indications.
"This further enhances the value and attractiveness of POLB 001 for potential partners.”