We believe there is a clear opportunity to generate significant value for our shareholders over the next 12 months, given recent progress with both our clinical and preclinical programmes.
Dr Tim Mitchell, chief executive
About Sareum
Sareum Holdings PLC's (LON:SAR) most advanced programme was developed in collaboration with the Institute of Cancer Research and the CRT Pioneer Fund. It is now being taken on further by licence partner Sierra Oncology.
The drug developer has two other preclinical discoveries and Sareum is looking for potential licensees for its pre-clinical tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) / Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer.
In December, Sareum added it had been formally granted a US patent over its SDC-1802 TYK2/JAK1 kinase inhibitor programme, which is in pre-clinical development targeting cancer.
It means the company’s technology is now patented in all major territories, including Europe, Japan and China.
The drug developer’s chief scientific officer, Dr John Reader, said: "The granting of this patent in the US completes the protection of the intellectual property for our proprietary SDC-1802 Programme across all major markets.
“The board believes that the patent will enhance the value of its TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor programmes and the company's negotiating position as it continues to engage in discussions with potential licence partners."
Sareum has also received back the rights to the FLT3+Aurora kinase inhibitor programme, which is designed to help treat immune system overreaction to coronavirus (COVID-19) and other viral infections.
The AIM-listed drug development firm said its licensing partner for FLT3 has decided not to exercise its option to continue the development of the programme, and as a result rights to the programme will now revert to Sareum.
What the boss says: Tim Mitchell, CEO
“Our clear priority focus remains on advancing our proprietary TYK2/JAK1 programmes and, in the near-term, on completing the preclinical work needed for the first Clinical Trial Application during the first quarter of the year.
"Achieving this important milestone will be a key step in generating shareholder value from our TYK2/JAK1 pipeline".
Inflexion points
- Commercial licences for the late pre-clinical or early clinical stages of SDC 1801/1802
- Sierra Oncology raises funds for the further development of SRA737
- Grant to investigate the use of TYK2/JAK1 inhibitors to treat coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms.