Peregrine Receives US Patent For Phospholipid-Targeting Antibodies

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals has received US Patent Number 7,611,704, which includes broad claims covering anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting antibodies. It also includes Peregrine’s lead clinical compound, bavituximab. PS is a unique marker exposed on the surface of virally infected cells that can be targeted to treat a broad spectrum of virus infections.

The company said that the new patent covers compositions and methods of treating virus infections using bavituximab and similar antibodies, either alone or as immunoconjugates attached to anti-viral agents, as well as in combination with other anti-viral agents. The breadth of the claims in the new patent is noteworthy since it includes methods for treating all viruses in humans and in animals.

According to the company, targeting PS provides a broad platform for treating viral infections. Because the PS target is host-derived rather than pathogen-derived, PS-targeting antibodies are also expected to be much less susceptible to the viral genomic mutations that lead to anti-viral drug resistance.

Steven King, president and CEO of Peregrine, said: “This broad anti-viral patent further expands our intellectual property leadership in the field of PS-targeting antibodies at a time when our anti-viral program is experiencing a rising tide of interest and activity. We are especially pleased at the scope of the issued claims in this new patent, which covers the use of bavituximab and similar antibodies in the treatment of any and all virus infections.

“Antibodies falling under the scope of this new patent have already demonstrated promising anti-viral activity in clinical trials in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and are the focus of our ongoing research funded by a Transformational Medical Technologies Initiative contract to study the potential of these agents as broad spectrum viral hemorrhagic fever therapeutics.”