The new patent claims are directed towards an MVA (Modified Vaccinia Ankara) vaccinia virus which has been tailored to make specific improvements on other MVA strains. Most notably the Bavarian version does not replicate itself in human cells, a problem common to most MVAs.
The new patent, as well as the company’s US patent on MVA-BN(r) issued in 2004, are based on the same patent priority from a patent application filed in Denmark in 2000.
Peter Wulff, president and CEO of Bavarian, said: “This latest patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office reinforces our growing patent position on MVA and adds further value to our MVA-BN(r) technology base for the development of new and improved vaccines.”
Bavarian is no doubt hoping for a lucrative smallpox vaccine contract from the US government which has been reinforcing vaccine stocks since 2001 when anthrax spores found in its postal system raised fears of a bioterrorist attack.
Following the issue of the new patent shares in Bavarian rose by just over 1%.