AdAlta Ltd (ASX:1AD) has hit a patent protection milestone, giving it patent coverage in eight of the world's largest pharmaceutical markets.
The clinical-stage biotechnology company, which is developing novel therapeutic products from its i-body platform, has been granted its first European patent relating to lead program, AD-214, by the European Patent Office.
In what is a major win for the company, Patent Number EP3242685, known as 'CXCR4 binding molecules', will now not expire until January 8, 2036.
AdAlta’s CEO and managing director Dr Tim Oldham said: “Grant of this European patent means AD-214 now has patent protection until 2036 in the eight largest pharmaceutical markets in the world: US, Japan, China, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and UK.”
Important protection
The new patent protects the i-body sequence used in AdAlta’s lead product, AD-214, sequences like this, and pharmaceutical compositions and derivatives containing these i-body sequences.
Protection is also now available for the use of these sequences in therapeutic and diagnostic applications, including Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), the lead indication for which AD-214 is being developed.
AdAlta is also looking to validate this patent in 18 countries across Europe.
Validation is an administrative process necessary to enable the patent to be enforced in each country. Validation is anticipated to be complete by August 2022. This European Patent adds to existing patent protection for AD-214 in Australia (two patents), China, India, Japan, Singapore and US (two patents).
Progress on AD-214
AdAlta has completed Phase I clinical studies for its lead i-body candidate, AD-214, that is being developed for the treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and other human fibrotic diseases for which current therapies are sub-optimal and there is a high unmet medical need.
A second target in discovery research, also in the field of fibrosis and inflammation, has also been recognised.
Further to this, 1AD is entering collaborative partnerships to advance the development of its i-body platform. It has a collaboration with Carina Biotech to co-develop precision-engineered, i-body-enabled CAR-T cell therapies (i-CAR-T) to bring new hope to patients with cancer.
The company has an agreement with GE Healthcare to co-develop i-bodies as diagnostic imaging agents (i-PET imaging) against Granzyme B, a biomarker of response to immuno-oncology drugs, a program now in preclinical development.