SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Monogram Biosciences, Inc. announced today that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent Office for its proprietary eTag technology. The patent relates to the use of Monogram's eTag technology for detecting protein dimers. Protein dimerization is believed to be pivotal in mediating signal transduction and in regulating abnormal cell proliferation that occurs in cancer cells. Detecting aberrant dimerization and corresponding signal transduction is believed important for predicting patient prognosis and response to therapy.
The patent covers homodimers and heterodimers and is not limited to particular dimer types. Examples of covered dimers are ErbB proteins, such as EFGR and HER2, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor receptors, such as VEGFR2, and G-protein coupled receptors.
"The intellectual property around our eTag technology is broad," said William D. Young, Monogram chief executive officer. "We have 40 U.S. patents and patent applications related to our eTag technology, of which a dozen are allowed or issued. This latest allowance provides patent protection for some of the most important applications of our eTag technology related to the identification of protein-protein interactions. We believe that determining the dimerization status of particular protein complexes, such as those involving HER2, will be important for determining whether a patient's tumor will respond to certain drugs."
Monogram's eTag assays may enable detailed analysis of protein drug targets and signaling pathways in cancer cells using tissue lysates or FFPE specimens. Currently, FFPE specimens are the standard in most pathology labs. The assays can provide information on a drug's mechanism of action, selectivity and potency in a biological setting in pre-clinical research, and enable selection of clinical trial populations later in a drug's development. Monogram believes these assays may ultimately be used to help physicians better determine whether certain therapies are more appropriate for individual cancer patients or whether to combine therapies with different mechanisms of action.
About Monogram
Monogram is advancing individualized medicine by discovering, developing and marketing innovative products to guide and improve treatment of serious infectious diseases and cancer. The Company's products are designed to help doctors optimize treatment regimens for their patients that lead to better outcomes and reduced costs. The Company's technology is also being used by numerous biopharmaceutical companies to develop new and improved antiviral therapeutics and vaccines as well as targeted cancer therapeutics. More information about the Company and its technology can be found on its web site at http://www.monogrambio.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release and attached supplemental information are forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include references to potential eTag products to measure dimers, plans for further development of the eTag technology and anticipated validation in a CLIA setting, expected protection provided by recently allowed patents, the ability of the Company to advance its in oncology. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include: risks and uncertainties relating to the performance of our products; the ability of our eTag assays to predict response to particular therapeutic agents, our ability to successfully conduct clinical studies and the results obtained from those studies; whether larger confirmatory clinical studies will confirm the results of initial studies; our ability to establish reliable, high-volume operations at commercially reasonable costs; actual market acceptance of our products and adoption of our technological approach and products by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; our estimate of the size of our markets; our estimates of the levels of demand for our products; whether payors will authorize reimbursement for our products and services; whether the FDA or any other agency will decide to further regulate our products or services; whether we will encounter problems or delays in automating our processes; the ultimate validity and enforceability of our patent applications and patents; the possible infringement of the intellectual property of others; whether licenses to third party technology will be available; whether we are able to build brand loyalty and expand revenues; and whether we will be able to raise sufficient capital in the future, if required. For a discussion of other factors that may cause our actual events to differ from those projected, please refer to our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake, and specifically disclaim any obligation, to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
Contacts: Alfred G. Merriweather Jeremiah Hall Chief Financial Officer Feinstein Kean Healthcare Tel: 650 624 4576 Tel: 415 677-2700 amerriweather@monogrambio.comjeremiah.hall@fkhealth.com
Monogram Biosciences, Inc.CONTACT: Alfred G. Merriweather, Chief Financial Officer of MonogramBiosciences, Inc., +1-650-624-4576, amerriweather@ monogrambio.com; orJeremiah Hall of Feinstein Kean Healthcare, +1-415-677-2700,jeremiah.hall@fkhealth.com
Web site: http://www.monogrambio.com/
