Sydney, Australia, 2 September 2011; Australian monoclonal antibody company, Immune System Therapeutics Limited (IST), today announced it had secured patent protection in Australia for a new method of treating blood cancers that express a target called lambda myeloma antigen (LMA), which was discovered by IST research scientists. This patent is a significant addition to IST’s growing platform of new treatments for cancer and other diseases.
The patent titled ‘Target for B-cell disorders’ covers the treatment of a broad range of blood cancers, involving the administration of antibodies that bind to LMA to prevent the growth of, or kill, the cancer cells found in B cell lymphoproliferative diseases. IST is currently developing its second antibody candidate, IST-1458, for the treatment of blood cancers that display the LMA target.
The patent provides protection for the company’s platform technology until the year 2025
Immune System Therapeutics’ Chief Executive Officer, Alan Liddle, said, “The granting of this patent confers further certainty and significantly increases the commercial value of IST’s promising new antibody platform for the treatment of a range of common human diseases.
“IST’s growing patent portfolio is a major commercial asset that will help ensure long-term exclusive licensing rights and underpin our global commercial opportunities.
“It is another positive step towards achieving our business goal of developing a range of effective new medical treatments based on our significant portfolio of antibody platform technologies for a range of cancers and diseases with major unmet clinical needs.”
In June 2011, IST received Orphan Drug Designation for its lead antibody product MDX-1097 from US health regulators, giving the company and its licensing partners access to an accelerated approval process and marketing exclusivity in the US for a number of years.
The company also recently announced it would expand a Phase II clinical trial of its drug, called MDX-1097 for multiple myeloma blood cancer in Australia following encouraging responses from the first dosed patients and positive safety data.
About IST-1458 and MDX-1097
IST-1458 is a fully human antibody that binds to LMA and is currently in pre-clinical development for the treatment of B cell lymphoproliferative diseases. The drug MDX-1097 is a genetically engineered antibody that binds specifically to a target protein called kappa myeloma antigen (KMA) found on the cell surface of some types of blood cancer. Researchers anticipate the antibody will potentially reduce the number of cancerous cells in multiple myeloma patients and improve patient health and well-being. Laboratory studies have shown that the antibody works with the patient’s immune system to induce death of multiple myeloma cancer cells. It was created specifically to treat multiple myelomablood cancer, a debilitating terminal disease, with an estimated patient population of over 150,000 worldwide. The disease typically occurs in older patients and is responsible for two per cent of all cancer deaths in the United States every year.
About Immune Systems Therapeutics
Immune Systems Therapeutics (IST) is a private bio-therapeutic company commercialising a range of promising new antibody drugs to treat human blood cancers and autoimmune diseases. The company’s unique therapies target a range of common blood cancers known as B cell malignancies as well as autoimmune diseases. IST has extensive and robust patents covering a new class of drugs targeting blood cancers and autoimmune diseases that are potentially safer, less toxic and more effective than current standard chemotherapy treatments. IST’s business plan is to license its drugs to international pharmaceutical companies for regulatory approval, production and sales. For more information please visit www.istl.com.au
For more information please contact:
Alan Liddle
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (02) 9514 7434 or 0414 991 770
Joe Collins
Chairman
Tel: (02) 9514 7434 or 0434 352 946
