Immutep (ASX:IMM), a biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapy treatments for cancer and autoimmune disease, has announced the Chinese Patent Office has awarded a new patient for eftilagimod alpha.
The patient - number ZL201480073584.3 - is entitled 'Combined Preparations for the Treatment of Cancer' and applies to the 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 company said the chemotherapy agent is oxaliplatin, carboplatin, or topotecan, and the patent provides protection in the territory of mainland China.
Immutep said the new patent has been exclusively licensed to its partner in China, EOC Pharma. The patent expiry date is 19 December 2034.
Dr Frédéric Triebel, Immutep’s chief scientific officer and chief medical officer, said, “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 tumours in recent years.
"As such, this new patent provides protection in the important Chinese territory for a range of novel and highly relevant chemoimmunotherapies 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.”