Noxopharm (ASX:NOX) has secured a significant milestone in the development of its Sofra technology platform, announcing the granting of its first patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The patent covers the company’s innovative immune-modulatory oligonucleotides designed to harness the body’s immune system in the fight against certain cancers.
Described as a first-tier composition of matter patent, the approval protects the structure of Noxopharm’s assets for the development of new pharmaceutical compounds. It effectively safeguards the commercial value of cancer-related research currently underway as part of a broader portfolio of Sofra patent applications lodged in collaboration with Hudson Institute of Medical Research.
Although the program remains in the early stages of development, the company says the platform’s versatility extends well beyond its initial focus on inflammation. In addition to potential applications in autoimmune and chronic diseases, Sofra could enable new approaches to mobilising the immune system against cancerous growth.
Noxopharm CEO Dr Gisela Mautner said the company sees substantial opportunity in this area. “The development of medicines that use the body’s own defences to battle cancer has led to significant breakthroughs in recent years, creating some of the world’s bestselling drugs,” she said. “The global immuno-oncology market is already sizeable at around US$36 billion, and is expected to grow by 16% a year to around US$88 billion by 2030 as the innovation pipeline continues to produce results.”
Dr Mautner added, "The granting of our first US patent is a major milestone for the Sofra platform, and we will continue to develop its cancer-related potential in the months ahead along with our research focusing on reducing inflammation in various diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis."