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ValiRx granted crucial EU patent for VAL201
(WebFG News) - Clinical stage biotechnology company ValiRx announced on Wednesday that the European Union patent and trademark office has granted EU Patent Application 08717866.1 - Anti-Androgen Peptides and Uses Thereof in Cancer Therapy - covering its lead therapeutic compound, VAL201, which was in clinical trials.
The AIM-traded firm said the EU grant followed in rapid succession to its recent receipt of a US patent grant announced on 20 March.
It said the patent application covered the molecule and use of compounds in pharmaceutically acceptable products.
The patent coverage also included a "wide variety" of derivatives, modifications and analogues of the compounds and their mode of action.
Furthermore, the protection sought included therapeutic formulations with associated delivery systems.
The grant of this EU patent for VAL201 represented "another major milestone" in the company's commercial strategy, since ValiRx now had "substantial" patent protection across the globe, the board said.
With the firm now having patent protection in all of its targeted major markets, the directors added that it was "well positioned" to benefit from the pharmaceutical industry's increasing search for novel proprietary therapies in the oncology arena.
There were patent applications currently pending in a number of other territories, and covering various aspects of the programme.
As it announced on 18 December, the compound was currently in a Phase I/II study, primarily assessing safety and tolerability of VAL201 and its effect in the treatment of prostate cancer and other solid tumours.
No dose limiting toxicity was observed, nor had there been any therapeutically-related side effects.
So far VAL201 had met and exceeded the predicted safety and tolerability criteria set for the trial.
Subjects showed preliminary therapeutic efficacy and significant changes in their PSA levels related to treatment with VAL201, ValiRx reported.
That was in line with pre-clinical studies, which showed efficacy in prostate, breast and ovarian cancer models, as well as addressing endometriosis or hormone-induced abnormal cell growth in women.
"I am very pleased that VAL201 has received its European Union patent grant, hot on the heels of our receipt of a US patent grant," said CEO Dr Satu Vainikka.
"This latest grant now means that ValiRx has substantive patent protection stretching across the globe and I believe it further bolsters the company's opportunity of securing a partnering deal, particularly in the light of the expansion of the VAL201 trial to more speedily reach VAL201's full therapeutic potential and potential anti-cancer impact."