Targovax announces the grant of European Patent no 2,379,586. This composition of matter patent protects Targovax’s lead product from its ONCOS platform, the oncolytic viral product ONCOS-102 and expires in 2029.
A US patent covering ONCOS-102 was granted in May 2016.
Targovax’s proprietary ONCOS platform generates novel oncolytic viruses, an emerging class of biological therapy. ONCOS exclusively uses adenoviruses, which are engineered to be tumor targeted immune activators. The platform has the potential to generate therapies with superior efficacy and safety compared to the first approved oncolytic virus therapy, Imlygic, recently launched by Amgen.
In a previously reported Phase I trial ONCOS-102 treatment induced tumor-specific immune activation both at a systemic and lesional level in tumors of late stage cancer patients. The immune activation was associated with signals of clinical benefit. Targovax is currently initiating a number of Phase I/II clinical trials that are expected to readout in the next two years for the treatment of solid tumors such as melanoma, malignant pleural mesothelioma, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.
ONCOS-102 has Orphan drug designation with the FDA and EMA in mesothelioma, ovarian cancer and soft tissue sarcoma.
Jon Amund Eriksen, Chief Technology Innovation Officer and Co-founder of Targovax said, “This European patent is an important addition to Targovax’s intellectual property portfolio covering our ONCOS platform and the engineered oncolytic viruses that arise from it. The patent further extends the protection of the lead product candidate from the platform, ONCOS-102, following the grant of a US patent for ONCOS-102 in May this year, both of which expire in 2029. The US and Europe are expected to be the largest markets for immuno-oncology products, the most rapidly growing segment for the development of innovative cancer treatments.”
