SAN DIEGO, CA, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Nventa Biopharmaceuticals Corporation announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Patent Number 7,157,089 to Nventa, further strengthening the Company's intellectual property position and portfolio. The patent provides coverage for compositions of fusion proteins comprised of an influenza antigen fused to a heat shock protein (Hsp), as well as DNA encoding such fusion proteins and their use in immunotherapy.
In addition, the Company announced that the corresponding European Patent (EP 941,315 B1) has passed the required European patent opposition period unopposed.
"Given the continued need for influenza treatments and growing concerns about pandemic outbreak, we are very pleased to have been issued the U.S. patent covering our influenza compound," said Gregory M. McKee, President and Chief Executive Officer at Nventa. "While our focus today is on developing HspE7 for the treatment of serious human papillomavirus-related diseases, this patent strengthens our ability to develop a heat shock fusion protein targeting influenza, likely with the cooperation of a corporate, not-for-profit or government partner. We are encouraged to have generated promising preclinical data against common and avian flu types using prototypes of Hsp fusion proteins with influenza antigens at a time that we believe there are few companies working on a treatment in this space."
About Influenza:
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Every year, 10 to 20 percent of Americans get sick with the flu (influenza). In the United States, approximately 25 percent of the population has flu-associated illness annually, leading to an average of 20,000 to 40,000 deaths per year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 35 to 50 million Americans come down with the flu during each flu season, which typically lasts from November to March.
About Nventa Corporation:
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Nventa is developing innovative therapeutics for the treatment of viral infections and cancer, with a focus on diseases caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The corporation is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NVN. For more information about Nventa, please visit the website located at www.nventacorp.com.
This press release contains statements which, to the extent that they are not recitations of historical fact may constitute forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation or forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements or information may include financial and other projections as well as statements regarding the Company's future plans, objectives, performance, revenues, growth, profits, operating expenses or the Company's underlying assumptions. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "forecast", "project" and "believe" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. Persons reading this press release are cautioned that such statements or information are only predications, and that the Company's actual future results or performance may be materially different.
Forward-looking statements or information in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements or information concerning the coverage provided by this patent and the cooperation of a partner. Such forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, events or developments, to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such factors include potential challenges to our patent and the level of partner interest.
Assumptions underlying our expectations regarding forward-looking statements or information contained in this press release include, among others, that challenges to our patent, if any, will not be successful, and we will be successful in acquiring a partner to assist us with the development of a heat shock fusion protein targeting influenza.
For a complete discussion of the assumptions, risks and uncertainties related to our business, you are encouraged to review our filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. Historical filings relating to the Company prior to the completion of the Company's March 23, 2006 corporate reorganization, including Old Stressgen's 2005 Annual Information Form dated March 16, 2006 may be reviewed on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com under the SEDAR profile GVIC Publications Ltd.
All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on our current expectations as of the date hereof and we disclaim any intention or obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements and information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.
CONTACT: Donna Slade, Director, Investor Relations, 6055 Lusk Boulevard, San Diego, CA, USA, 92121, Dir: (858) 202-4945, dslade@nventacorp.com
Nventa Biopharmaceuticals CorporationCONTACT: Donna Slade, Director, Investor Relations, 6055 Lusk Boulevard,San Diego, CA, USA, 92121, Dir: (858) 202-4945, dslade@nventacorp.com
