Aussie biotech lands second patent for anti-cancer treatment

Biotech News: An Australian biotech company has locked in another patent for its cancer-treatment.

Immutep’s new US patent builds on the protection provided by the parent patent in December 2020, and are directed to methods of treating cancer by administering Immutep‘s lead active immunotherapy candidate eftilagimod alpha (“efti” or “IMP321”) and a PD-1 pathway inhibitor.

According to the claims, the PD-1 pathway inhibitor is either MSD’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) or Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo (nivolumab).

The expiry date of the patent is January 2036.

“We are very pleased to add another United States patent to our expanding patent portfolio, especially in this case, because of its direct relevance to our clinical development programs. These patent grants are important as they underpin ongoing investment in clinical development of efti and allow us to confidently engage in business development discussions,” said Marc Voigt, CEO of Immutep.

A further divisional application has been filed to pursue other aspects of the invention, including combinations where the PD-1 pathway inhibitor is a PD-L1 inhibitor.

The lead product candidate eftilagimod alpha (LAG-3Ig or IMP321), a first-in-class antigen presenting cell (APC) activator, is currently being investigated in clinical trials as a treatment (in combination with chemotherapy or immune therapy) in partnership with GSK in ulcerative colitis and in partnership with Novartis for solid tumours, blood cancer and breast cancer.