Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTCQB:POLBF) was granted European patent protection over its key asset, POLB 002, a nasally administered treatment with the potential to protect against respiratory virus infections.
Specifically, the patent covers the use of defective interfering (DI) influenza virus against the flu.
POLB 002 works by triggering nasal cells into an antiviral state using DI influenza that resembles the virus but doesn’t have the ability to replicate.
In doing so it provokes an immune response but does not cause an infection.
“Data for POLB 002 shows it is able to both prevent viral infections and rapidly reduce viral loads where infection has occurred, improving disease symptoms and aiding recovery,” said Poolbeg chief executive, Jeremy Skillington.
“This makes it an attractive candidate in a market where a significant unmet need for the treatment of most respiratory virus infections still exists.”
The company is seeking patent protection in jurisdictions outside Europe, including the US, where it has received a notice of allowance from the officials.
Respiratory viruses kill more than 3mln globally each year, so there is a large unmet need for treatments such as POLB 002.
"The pandemic potential of influenza continues to be monitored closely by the global health authorities, while the World Health Organization (WHO) and infectious hazard experts have guided that there is statistical certainty that a future influenza pandemic can be expected," Poolbeg noted.
"The CDC [Centers for Disease Control] has advised that early action and effective preparedness are absolutely essential to mitigating risk, hence highlighting the importance of developing vaccines, prophylactics and antiviral treatments against viruses; with pan-viral products offering an important solution."