Apogenix Strengthens Patent Position for Apocept(TM) (APG101) in Europe and Canada
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Apogenix Strengthens Patent Position for Apocept(TM) (APG101) in Europe and
Canada
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Heidelberg, Germany, July 2, 2013 - Apogenix GmbH, a clinical stage
biopharmaceutical company developing novel protein therapeutics for the
treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases, announced today that it was able
to expand the patent protection for its lead product candidate Apocept(TM)
(APG101). The company was recently granted two patents that cover the medical
use of Apocept (APG101) in Europe and Canada. The European patent protects the
medical use of CD95 inhibitors and CD95 ligand inhibitors, such as Apocept
(APG101), for the treatment of glioblastoma. This patent is valid until 2027.
The Canadian patent covers the use of CD95 ligand inhibitors for the treatment
of neurological disorders and expires in 2024. Additional patent applications in
the US and other key markets are pending.
"Apogenix has now a very extensive patent portfolio that provides broad coverage
for the use of CD95 inhibitors and CD95 ligand inhibitors in the treatment of
brain tumors. Expanding the patent protection is an important element in
harnessing the medical and economic potential of this innovative therapeutic
approach," Dr. Thomas Hoeger, CEO/CFO of Apogenix, stated.
Apocept (APG101) is a fully human fusion protein that consists of the
extracellular domain of the CD95 receptor and the Fc portion of an IgG antibody.
The interaction between the CD95 ligand and the CD95 receptor activates an
intracellular signaling pathway that stimulates the invasive growth and
migration of tumor cells, such as glioblastoma cells. Apocept (APG101) binds to
the CD95 ligand and thus inhibits activation of the CD95 signaling pathway,
resulting in reduced tumor cell growth and migration. Similar effects have been
observed in other solid tumors, such as liver, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer.
This underlines Apocept's (APG101) therapeutic potential in other indications in
which inhibition of the CD95 ligand plays an important role.
A controlled phase II proof of concept study with Apocept (APG101) in patients
with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has met and exceeded its primary
endpoint in March 2012. The primary endpoint was to double the number of
patients reaching progression-free survival at six months (PFS6). A number of
important secondary endpoints were also met in 2012. In January 2013, Apogenix
initiated a clinical phase I trial with Apocept (APG101) to treat patients with
myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
Apocept (APG101) is currently protected by nine patent families covering both
the composition of matter as well as the use of the substance in various
indications. In addition, Apocept (APG101) was granted orphan drug status in the
EU for the treatment of glioma and in the US for the treatment of GBM and MDS.
About Apogenix
Apogenix, a spin-out of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), develops novel
protein therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. The
compounds' mechanism of action is either based on the targeted modulation of
apoptosis, the programmed cell death, or on the inhibition of tumor cell growth.
The company's lead product candidate Apocept(TM) (APG101) is being developed for
the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and myelodysplastic syndromes
(MDS). Since its inception in 2005, the company has raised more than ?50 million
in three financing rounds and was awarded public grants totaling ?8.5 million.
Apogenix is based in Heidelberg, Germany.
About Glioblastoma Multiforme
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) belongs to the group of gliomas and is the most
frequent and aggressive brain tumor. The tumor cells show a high resistance to
radiation and chemotherapy. They spread and infiltrate the neighboring tissue so
quickly that eradicative surgery is often impossible. Due to the diffuse
infiltration into the brain tissue, recurrence is often experienced within a few
months of the initial treatment. Approximately 28,000 new cases of malignant
glioma are diagnosed every year in the US and the EU (source: US National Cancer
Registry). The current standard therapy consists of surgery, followed by
radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The relative survival rate for adults diagnosed
with GBM is less than 30 percent within one year of diagnosis, and only three
percent of patients live longer than five years after initial diagnosis (source:
Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States), illustrating a high unmet
medical need in this indication.
About Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders
characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis leading to blood cytopenias,
especially anemia. The median age for MDS is more than 60 years. The incidence
rate for MDS is about 4/10,000 per year and increases to 20-50/10,000 above the
age of 70. The disease is often diagnosed during a routine check-up. MDS
patients generally suffer from a reduced red blood cell count (anemia), feel
tired, and are prone to infections. In most cases, the anemia is treated with
blood transfusions that eventually result in an iron overload, which can damage
the liver, for instance. At the same time, the number of thrombocytes that are
responsible for coagulation and the number of leucocytes that are responsible
for immune defense are significantly decreasing. As a result, MDS patients
frequently suffer from infections and sudden bleeding, which can prove fatal.
For more information about MDS, please visit www.mds-foundation.org.
Contact
Dr. Thomas Hoeger
CEO/CFO
Apogenix GmbH
D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Phone: +49 (6221) 5 86 08-0
E-Mail: contact(at)apogenix.com
Web: www.apogenix.com
Media Contacts
USA: Europe:
Martina Schwarzkopf, Ph.D. Raimund Gabriel
Russo Partners LLC MC Services AG
Phone: +1 (212) 845 4292 Phone: +49 (89) 210 228 30
martina.schwarzkopf(at)russopartnersllc.com raimund.gabriel(at)mc-services.eu
Press release (PDF):
http://hugin.info/146079/R/1713395/568760.pdf
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Source: Apogenix via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1713395]
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 02.07.2013 - 10:01 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 274933
Anzahl Zeichen: 7740
contact information:
Town:
Heidelberg
Kategorie:
Business News
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