The European Patent Office has issued a notification of Intention to Grant a patent for the PD1-Vaxx cancer vaccine of Imugene Ltd (ASX:IMU, OTC:IUGNF).
The clinical-stage immuno-oncology company’s PD1-Vaxx cancer vaccine is a first-in-class programmed death-1 (PD1) vaccine, currently in clinical development for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Next year clinical development will include colorectal cancer.
Approval expected shortly
The patent application, which encompasses the production and treatment methodology, is anticipated to be approved in late 2023 after finalising the necessary granting procedures.
Upon approval, the patent will remain valid until March 28, 2038, at the latest. The European Application, designated as number 3600398, is named 'HUMAN PD1 PEPTIDE VACCINES AND USES THEREOF'.
Similar applications are under consideration in Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Brazil and Australia. This patent has already been granted in the United States and Japan, as indicated by the Notice of Grant previously received.
“Receiving the notice that this European patent application will proceed to grant is an excellent milestone for the technology, and we are excited to continue developing the therapy to demonstrate the value of our PD1-Vaxx vaccine and to have a positive impact on the lives of many cancer patients,” Imugene’s CEO and MD Leslie Chong said.
About PD1-Vaxx
Imugene's PD1-Vaxx is an immunotherapy that activates B-cells and is engineered to target tumours, specifically lung and colorectal cancer.
It functions by disrupting the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, thereby eliciting an anti-cancer response comparable to that of Tecentiq®, Keytruda®, Opdivo® and other similar immune checkpoint inhibitor monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies are significantly changing the landscape of treatment for various types of cancers.