Prescient Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:PTX) has been granted a US patent for its flagship OmniCAR portfolio entitled 'SpyCatcher and SpyTag: Universal Immune Receptor for T Cells' that protects the technology until 2039.
PTX's OmniCAR platform is based on a universal immune receptor (UIR) technology that can create modular cell therapies that are controllable, flexible and adaptable.
The key component of the system is a two-part covalent binding system called SpyTag and SpyCatcher that were developed by and licensed from Oxford University.
The University of Pennsylvania then applied this binding system to cell therapy, the application this latest patent protects, especially the molecules being developed by Prescient for use in the OmniCAR system.
Patent permits entry to US healthcare market
"This patent is a key plank in the protection of the OmniCAR platform, especially in the US, which is the world’s largest healthcare market,” Prescient Therapeutics managing director and CEO Steven Yatomi-Clarke said.
“Prescient continues to bolster the protection of this innovative platform through the development of new intellectual property as we progress our three exciting OmniCAR programs through pre-clinical development and towards the clinic.”
Prescient believes that OmniCAR is the only known UIR system employing covalent binding, a very strong chemical bond.
This binding effect offers several advantages over other approaches that rely on weaker, temporary binding, including greater efficacy, control and the ability to pre-arm T cells.