Tübingen, Germany, July 5, 2016 / B3C newswire / -- Atriva Therapeutics GmbH announces the acquisition of the co-infection patent (Application Nr: PCT/IB2015/053644) from the University of Muenster, Germany. This patent covers the beneficial and potentially lifesaving use of MEK inhibitors against co-infections of bacteria, including multi-resistant bacterial strains such as MRSA, which often occurs following a severe influenza viral infection and can be fatal to high-risk influenza patients.
Atriva was founded in 2015 by a leading team of three international key scientists in viral research and seasoned industrial experts, and is located in Tuebingen, Germany. Three patent families that also repurpose MEK inhibitors for antiviral use were transferred during the foundation process, thus shaping Atriva unique business approach.
Atriva product platform is based on a variety of different MEK kinase inhibitors focusing on severe viral infections and applicable for use with high-risk influenza patients.
The market potential is considerable. In total the therapeutic market for acute influenza in high-risk, co-morbidity patients such as those with COPD or heart failure is estimated to exceed 2.8 billion Euros in 2020. As neuraminidase inhibitors are not approved in these patient groups, no suitable or economically labeled therapy is currently available. Without taking into account the preventive pandemic stock-keeping of influenza therapeutics, the potential for net sales of the Atriva MEK inhibitors could reach 400 million Euros.
Prof. Stephan Ludwig, one of the co-founders of Atriva and co-inventor of the co-infection patent, has grown from his long-term research into one of the world’s key leaders in the field of antiviral therapy. He states: “Acquisition of this key patent is of the utmost importance for the broad protection of the Atriva approach and enhances the scope of our strategies to a broader range of clinically challenging pathogens.”
Dr. Rainer Lichtenberger, co-founder and CEO of Atriva, says: “We are excited to add this ground-breaking patent application to our substantial portfolio of IP that use kinase inhibitors as medicines to fight severe viral respiratory disease. Bacterial co-infections, e.g. with multi-resistant MRSA and other germs remain an ever increasing challenge for the management of influenza and other severe respiratory infections, especially in the 150 million high-risk patients in the western world suffering from lung or heart disease. ”
