6 February 2007
EU patent for MAT™ technology granted
ImVisioN Therapeutics strengthens patent position
(Not for distribution in the United States)
EU patent for MAT™ technology granted, EU and Australian patents for
ILIT™ granted and rights to portfolio of patents for Fel d1 allergen obtained
Hannover, Germany – 6 February 2007 – ImVisioN Therapeutics Inc., the Hannover based biopharmaceutical company pioneering intralymphatic immunotherapy, announced today that it has been granted European Patent No. 1408114B1, entitled ‘Modular antigen-transporter-molecules (MAT™-molecules) for modulating immune responses’ by the European Patent Office.
At the same time, ImVisioN also announced the EU and Australian patents for the ILIT™ technology had also been granted. The US patent for ILIT was previously licensed from MannKind Corporation. Finally, ImVisioN announced that it obtained an option for a license to a portfolio of patents covering the Fel d1 allergen from cat dander which is the allergen component of ImVisioN’s lead allergy immunotherapy product.
Martin Steiner, ImVisioN’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder, commented: “These patents covering both our technologies and the active ingredient in our lead product consolidate and greatly strengthen our intellectual property. ImVisioN has demonstrated that it has now built the basis to become a leader in the field of allergy immunotherapeutics.”
The MAT technology was originally discovered within BioVisioN and was acquired by ImVisioN at its foundation in January 2005. The European patent covers the composition of the MAT molecule and particularly ImVisioN’s pipeline products for the treatment of allergy that use this technology. Patent recognition outside of Europe, in particular the USA, is still pending.
Intralymphatic Immunotherapy (ILIT) is a delivery technology specially suited to allergy desensitisation, requiring only three injections as opposed to 50 to 80 injections with traditional allergen specific immunotherapy. The US patent was originally licensed from MannKind Corporation. ImVisioN is using both MAT and ILIT to create a portfolio of allergy immunotherapeutics. The lead product, IVN201 uses the potent cat dander allergen Fel d1, a proprietary protein allergen. ImVisioN has now obtained an option for a license to a portfolio of patents covering Fel d1.
About ImVisioN Therapeutics Inc.
ImVisioN Therapeutics Inc. is a private biotechnology company incorporated in Nevada, USA, with a heritage in Switzerland and Germany. The Company is the pioneer in intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT), a proprietary technology for the delivery of immunotherapy in the treatment of allergies. ILIT is clinically proven and has been shown to be a safer, more efficacious and more convenient means of delivering allergy therapeutics. By applying another proprietary technology, Modular Antigen Transporter (MAT), ImVisioN leverages the potential of ILIT to develop drugs that use allergens safely for specific and highly effective antigen presentation. ImVisioN’s lead product is for the treatment of cat dander allergy and the Company has programs addressing birch pollen and house dust mite allergies. The Company’s proprietary technology platforms are applicable to further allergy targets, which may be addressed in future.
Contact:
Dr Martin Steiner
CEO
t: + 49 (0) 511 53 88 96-76
e: m.steiner@imvisiontherapeutics.com
Dr Douglas Pretsell
Account Director
Northbank Communications
t : +49 (0) 89 5700 1806
e: d.pretsell@northbankcommunications.com
Notes for editors:
Modular antigen-transporter-molecules (MAT™-molecules)
MAT is a modular fusion protein designed to facilitate allergen desensitisation1. Effective immunotherapy for treatment of allergies requires that the allergen is presented to antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which mediate the specific immune response to the allergen. Each MAT fusion protein consists of three functional elements: a translocation molecule facilitating passage through cell membranes and entry into APCs, a targeting molecule that direct the molecule within the APC and ensures effective presentation of the third element – a module containing the allergen to be sensitized. Immunotherapeutics using MAT minimise the negative Th2 responses seen in allergic people while selectively boosting the desirable Th1 responses that are essential for sensitisation to allergens through immunotherapy.
Intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT™)
ImVisioN is the pioneer of intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT), a clinically proven proprietary technology for the safe and effective delivery of allergy immunotherapy. Traditional allergen specific immunotherapy can cure severe allergies but involves multiple physician consultations (50 to 80 visits for subcutaneous injection) over a prolonged period of time and the risk of severe reactions to the treatment. Intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT) can achieve a cure within as little as 3 injections due to the efficient processing within the cells of the immune system located predominantly in the lymph nodes. ILIT is expected to have several advantages over other treatment alternatives:
• Improved patient convenience (reduced number of injections)
• Improved safety profile
• Rapid therapeutic effect
As a consequence, these benefits are expected to result in higher patient compliance and general acceptance of allergy immunotherapy and in reduced overall costs of allergen immunotherapy (fewer doctor visits, reduced use of symptomatic drugs). ILIT was recently demonstrated to be safe and efficacious in a clinical setting comparing it to traditional (subcutaneous) immunotherapy with grass pollen extract. Patients receiving ILIT had significantly fewer adverse events and achieved cure of allergy much faster (3 months as opposed to 1 year) and with substantially reduced amounts of the allergen (3,000 units as opposed to 4,000,000 units) than with traditional allergy immunotherapy.
IVN201 for cat dander allergy
ImVisioN’s lead product, IVN201, is a safe, efficacious alternative developed using the proprietary MAT technology for intralymphatic immunotherapy. The therapy uses the molecule Fel d1 (the major cat dander allergen) for the allergen module of the MAT molecule. Fel d1 is a potent allergen with more than 80% of cat allergy patients exhibiting IgE antibodies to it. IVN201 has established preclinical proof of concept and will shortly enter the clinic.
1 Crameri et al. in Allergy 2007: 62: 197–206
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EU patent for MAT™ technology granted ...