The claims of the issued patents provide secure protection for diagnostic tests for determining the predisposition to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by screening for genetic modifications in several genes including complement factor H, complement factor B, complement factor 2 and complement factor 3 (C3) amongst others, the company said.
Optherion has an exclusive worldwide license to these Canadian patent rights, the corresponding PCT patents and applications from the University of Iowa Research Foundation.
Optherion is developing a genetic test for AMD and is pursuing commercialization discussions with several providers within North American and international markets.
Colin Foster, Optherion’s president and CEO, said: “The issuance of the Canadian patents is an important milestone in the development of our diagnostics business.
“With these and other patents pending, licensed from almost a dozen universities, we are well positioned to exclusively offer a range of predictive and prognostic diagnostic tests to healthcare professionals treating patients with AMD and other diseases of the alternative complement system. As we advance to commercialization, we will continue to develop and protect our intellectual property covering our novel products.”