Solvonis Therapeutics PLC (LSE:SVNS) has secured new patent protection, receiving a Notice of Allowance from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for compounds in its SVN-SDN-14 post-traumatic stress disorder discovery programme.
The company also noted that it anticipates that its lead compound will be selected in Q1 2026.
Solvonis said SVN-SDN-14 is developing serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline modulators designed to support pro-social engagement and improve the effectiveness of psychological therapy in PTSD.
It highlighted that the newly allowed patent covers a novel chemical series intended to retain SERT, DAT and NET activity while adding greater pharmacological control through predictable metabolic deactivation.
The company said the USPTO examiner concluded existing patents or publications did not disclose or suggest the claimed compounds.
"These compounds are scientifically exciting because they address a long-standing challenge in this field," chief scientific officer David Nutt said.
"They are designed to preserve the monoaminergic profile that supports positive social engagement in therapy, while introducing a level of pharmacokinetic control that has historically been difficult to achieve. This increases our confidence that the core biology of SVN-SDN-14 can be translated into a medicine that is practical to develop, regulate and ultimately deploy."
Chief executive Anthony Tennyson added: "This patent allowance strengthens both the scientific and commercial foundations of our PTSD programme.
"It reflects our strategy of combining rigorous neuroscience with disciplined medicinal chemistry to build differentiated, scalable CNS therapeutics."