MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., Jan. 8, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immunomedics, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMMU), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer and other serious diseases, today announced that its patent for “Immunotherapy of autoimmune disorders using antibodies which target B-cells” has been issued as U.S. patent no. 7,641,901. The patent covers the use of monoclonal antibodies that bind to the CD22 antigen on B-lymphocytes for treating autoimmune disorders. The allowed claims cover the use of epratuzumab, the Company’s proprietary humanized anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody, and other anti-CD22 antibodies, alone and in combination with other therapeutics, such as antibodies, cytokines, or drugs, for the treatment of a wide range of autoimmune diseases that include systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, diabetes mellitus, and ulcerative colitis.
