Arovella Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:ALA) has obtained approval from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent covering the use of anagrelide in cancer treatment.
The USPTO will grant Arovella’s Application No. 15/538,326 titled 'Use of Anagrelide for Treating Cancer' with an expiry of December 2035, adding to the company’s granted patents in Europe, Japan, and Australia.
Anagrelide is being developed for the treatment of metastatic disease (cancer has spread from its initial origin) in patients with particular solid tumour cancers.
Clinical experience has demonstrated a link between increased platelet (clotting cells in blood) numbers and a decreased progression-free life expectancy with several solid tumour cancers, increasing the chance of cancer recurrence.
Anagrelide offers the dual action of reducing blood platelet count while also inhibiting cancer cell movement toward platelet-producing cells (megakaryocytes) primarily found in bone marrow and the lungs, two likely sites of metastases.
“Incredibly important” for commercialisation
“Receiving the notice that this patent will proceed to grant is incredibly important for the commercial prospects of the technology,” Arovella Therapeutics CEO and managing director Dr Michael Baker said.
“The US is a key market for a product of this nature and we now have patents covering a substantial proportion of the globe.”
Arovella is now seeking co-development partners to fund ongoing research or to out-licence the anagrelide intellectual property to entities focused on the development of cancer therapies where increased platelets play a role in disease progression.
This includes a number of cancer types, including melanoma, mesothelioma, ovarian, vulvar, cervical, renal cell, lung, glioblastoma, pancreatic, endometrial and colorectal cancer.
About Arovella Therapeutics
Arovella Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing therapies to treat human disease.
Arovella’s two focus areas are oncology and conditions that impact the central nervous system. The company is developing its invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapy platform from Imperial College London to treat blood cancers.
Arovella is also developing its DKK1-peptide targeting technology licenced from MD Anderson to be used in conjunction with its iNKT cell therapy platform.
Additionally, the company is developing low-risk oral sprays to reformulate existing pharmaceuticals. The potential benefits of administering drugs through the oral mucosa (i.e. cheeks, tongue, gums and palate) include ease of use, lower dosage, reduced side effects and faster response time.
Arovella’s product pipeline includes an oral spray for the platelet-lowering drug anagrelide to treat metastatic disease in the background of high platelets, and ZolpiMist™, a first-in-class oral spray of zolpidem tartrate to treat short-term insomnia.