On May 26, 2021 Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) ("Immutep" or "the Company"), a biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapy treatments for cancer and autoimmune disease, reported the grant of a new patent (number ZL201480073584.3) entitled "Combined Preparations for the Treatment of Cancer" by the Chinese Patent Office (Press release, Immutep, MAY 26, 2021, View Source [SID1234580677]).
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This Chinese patent follows the grant of the corresponding European, Australian, Japanese and United States patents, as announced separately throughout 2019 and 2020. The new patent protects Immutep’s intellectual property relating to combination therapy comprising (a) lead active immunotherapy candidate eftilagimod alpha (efti or IMP321), which is a LAG-3 fusion protein (LAG-3Ig), and (b) a chemotherapy agent. The chemotherapy agent is oxaliplatin, carboplatin, or topotecan, and the patent provides protection in the territory of mainland China.
The new patent is owned by Immutep S.A.S. and exclusively licensed to Immutep’s partner in China, EOC Pharma ("EOC"). The patent expiry date is 19 December 2034.
Dr. Frédéric Triebel, Immutep’s Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Medical Officer, noted: "Oxaliplatin, carboplatin and topotecan continue to be commonly used forms of chemotherapy in China and more broadly. Furthermore, combinations of chemotherapy and active immunotherapies have begun to be approved for the treatment of advanced solid tumors in recent years. As such, this new patent provides protection in the important Chinese territory for a range of novel and highly relevant chemo-immunotherapies featuring efti that could be developed in the future by our partner, EOC Pharma."
EOC Pharma CEO, Xiaoming Zou, said: "We are very pleased that our partner, Immutep, continues to make important progress in building a robust patent estate around efti. This underpins our continued investment in this unique and promising candidate, and provides a range of future development options for our business."
About efti in China
Efti is exclusively licensed to EOC for the territory of Greater China (namely mainland China, Hong Kong S.A.R, Macao S.A.R. and Taiwan). Under its agreement with Immutep, EOC will make further milestone payments to the Company if efti achieves specific development milestones, as well as pay sales-based royalties.