Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company, has received a new US patent that is expected to strengthen the company’s intellectual property in the field of phospholipid-targeting agents for the treatment of life-threatening diseases.
The new patent grants composition of matter claims that cover multiple formulations of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)-binding agents attached to a wide variety of anti-viral agents.
PE belongs to the aminophospholipid family that also includes phosphatidylserine, the target for Peregrine’s monoclonal antibody bavituximab that is in a clinical trial for hepatitis C virus infection and in preclinical studies for HIV and other viral infections.
Shelley Fussey, vice president of intellectual property at Peregrine, said: We are very pleased to receive this third patent for our anti-PE program, which adds to our leadership in the emerging field of aminophospholipid-targeting anti-viral agents.
This latest patent is the direct result of our ongoing research collaboration with researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center who have been instrumental in establishing our position at the forefront of developing therapeutic agents that target phospholipids.
Steven King, president and CEO of Peregrine, said: Our anti-viral program has gained momentum over the past year with prestigious scientific publications and presentations, as well as the award of a major federal contract to Peregrine for the development of our anti-PS antibodies for biodefense applications.