Pathway reports patent issuance to HIV diagnostic therapy

Pathway Diagnostics has licensed the patent (with rights to sub-license) from Health Research Incorporated (HRI), for use in the fields of laboratory diagnosis and monitoring. The patent discloses and claims diagnostic methods for monitoring CCR5 and CXCR4 co-receptor use in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The patent also claims monitoring CXCR4-specific strain suppression in HIV-positive individuals undergoing highly active anti-retroviral therapy.

Pathway has also obtained licensing rights from HRI for related patent applications, that together with the ‘458 patent, form the technical foundation of Pathway’s SensiTrop HIV tropism assay.

Pathway’s SensiTrop assay is a proprietary application of molecular hybridization based on heteroduplex tracking technology developed by Barbara Weiser and Harold Burger’s laboratory at the Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, New York.

Walter Narajowski, CEO of Pathway Diagnostics, said: “The patented technology underlying Pathway’s SensiTrop assay is a significant innovation that enables HIV treating physicians to select the appropriate treatment for patients using a proprietary molecular assay that is fast and affordable. Pathway’s partners have recognized the strength of Pathway’s patent portfolio and the importance of these patents when testing CCR5 and CXCR4 co-receptor use for HIV therapy.”