Immunomedics awarded US antibody patent

The patent covers the composition of matter for humanized, chimeric and human anti-CD74 antibodies, CD74 antibody fusion proteins, immunoconjugates, vaccines and bispecific antibodies that bind to CD74, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which is potentially useful for the treatment and diagnosis of B-cell disorders, such as B-cell malignancies, other malignancies in which the cells are reactive with CD74, and autoimmune diseases and methods of treatment and diagnosis.

Cynthia Sullivan, president and CEO, said: “We believe this is a comprehensive patent protection around the CD74 target. Milatuzumab, the company’s lead anti-CD74 product candidate, has shown in preclinical studies the ability to inhibit the growth of human multiple myeloma and lymphoma cells in culture and in immune-depressed mice. Our goal is to conjugate milatuzumab with a drug or toxin to fully take advantage of the rapidly internalizing property of the CD74 antigen.”