Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTCQB:POLBF) said it had been granted US patents protecting two key assets – POLB 001, a potential flu treatment, and POLB 002, a nasal spray for virus infections.
The company said it was working with its advisors to broaden and expand the patent families for both early-stage drug candidates.
“The additional US patent protection of POLB 001 and POLB 002 is an important step in the commercialisation of these novel infectious disease products,” said Poolbeg chief executive, Jeremy Skillington.
“Enhancing the IP protection of these assets across key markets such as the US increases the overall value of these products to potential partners, particularly as we move closer to the commencement of our POLB 001 LPS human challenge trial next month with data expected by year-end and monetisation to commence thereafter."
For POLB 001, the US Patent & Trademark Office (USTPO) granted the majority of Poolbeg’s claims around the use of certain p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors for the treatment or prevention of severe influenza and the accompanying cytokine storm through the modulation of the immune response.
Turning to POLB 002, the USPTO granted a patent for the identification of defective interfering RNA-based influenza viruses for use against infection by flu. Poolbeg thinks POLB 002 has wider applications than just flu and that it might be used as both protection against and to treat a range of respiratory viruses.