On July 1, 2015 4SC AG (Frankfurt, Prime Standard: VSC), a discovery and development company of targeted small molecule drugs for cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported that the company has managed to further strengthen its patent portfolio for its lead clinical anti-cancer programme resminostat (Press release, 4SC, JUL 1, 2015, View Source [SID:1234506542]).
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For the epigenetic agent resminostat, an HADC inhibitor targeting in particular HDAC 1, 2, 3 and 6, the US Patent Office has granted the patent for the medical use in cancer indications. The patent relates to the so-called method of treatment claims, and covers medical application of resminostat in mono- and/or combination therapy for cancer indications.
In addition, the Canadian patent authority has granted the composition of matter patent for resminostat. Thus resminostat has now composition of matter protection in all major markets including the US, Europe, Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, India, and now Canada.
The granting of the two patents constitutes an additional protection against potential competitors and thus further strengthens the protection of 4SC’s intellectual property assets, including the composition of matter, mesylate salt and manufacturing patents of resminostat, for which up to date patents have been granted in 58 countries, including the major markets.
Enno Spillner, Chief Executive Officer of 4SC, said: "We are pleased to announce the recent additions to our patent portfolio. The two patents will further strengthen not only the wide strategic position of our resminostat programme but also of 4SC as an important player in the field of epigenetic cancer therapies." Enno Spillner continued: "Especially, the resminostat medical application patent shows the broad possibilities of future use of our lead drug candidate. This is in particular evident in the light of the recently announced additional clinical use by our partner Yakult Honsha in pancreatic and biliary tract cancer as well as our own planned European Phase II trial in the indication of CTCL."
About Resminostat
Resminostat (4SC-201) is an oral histone-deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, targeting in particular HDAC 1, 2, 3 and 6, with an innovative epigenetic mechanism of action that potentially enables the compound to be deployed as a novel, targeted tumour therapy for a broad spectrum of oncological indications, both in monotherapy and, in particular, in combination with other cancer drugs. Like other epigenetic therapies, resminostat modifies transcription of genes in cancer cells and, thereby, reprograms the phenotypes of such cancer cells. Additionally, resminostat has immunotherapeutic effects by activating NK cells, restoring MHCI and MHCII proteins and suppression of unspecific immunosuppression. Resminostat is assumed to be able to halt tumour progression and induce tumour regression. Furthermore, due to its epigenetic mode of action resminostat is supposed to 2 develop additional synergetic effects when combined with classical cancer therapies and to counteract the development of tumour cell resistance.
Resminostat – by 4SC and its Japanese partner Yakult – has been investigated or is currently being investigated in a broad clinical campaign comprising liver cancer (HCC), Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HL), colorectal cancer (CRC), non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pancreatic and biliary tract cancer. Resminostat is partnered with Yakult Honsha for Japan and with Menarini AP in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region excluding Japan. 4SC is currently in preparations of a randomised, controlled Phase II trial in the indication of advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in Europe.