BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec. 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coronado Biosciences, Inc., (OTCBB:CNDO), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel immunotherapy agents for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer, today announced the Australian Patent Office accepted the foundation patent application directed to CNDO-109, Coronado's activated natural killer (NK) cell program. The patent will issue shortly as a Deed of Letters Patent bearing Serial No. 2006224313, entitled, "Method for activating natural killer cells by tumor cell preparation in vivo."
CNDO-109 is a biologic that activates NK cells for the treatment of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and solid tumors. AML is one of the most deadly and most common types of acute leukemia in adults, primarily afflicting elderly and relapsed and refractory populations with over 28,500 cases per year worldwide. The five year survival rate for AML patients is between 10 and 15%.
"We are very pleased that Australian Patent Office has granted this patent for CNDO-109," said Dr. Bobby W. Sandage, Jr., Coronado's President and CEO. "This is the first broad-based patent issued for our NK program, and we are excited by its breadth of coverage. AML represents a significant unmet medical need, as there are few treatment options aside from chemotherapy, and 70-80% of patients who achieve a first complete remission will relapse. We recently reported the final results from the Phase 1 clinical trial of CNDO-109 at the 53rd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition and we are extremely encouraged by the outcome. The results demonstrated that a majority of AML patients experienced a longer complete remission after receiving CNDO-109 activated NK cells than their previous complete remission. We look forward to initiating a Phase I/II allogeneic clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed AML in the first quarter of 2012."
The granted claim set is directed to methods of activating NK cells as well as to activated NK cell compositions and their use in methods for treating cancer. The claims broadly cover activating tumor cell preparations capable of priming NK cells to kill tumor cells, including tumor cells previously resistant to NK cell lysis. The core NK activation technology was developed in the laboratory of Dr. Mark Lowdell, Director of Cellular Therapy & Biobanking at Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust and Assistant Professor and Senior Lecturer in Hematology at University College London. Coronado acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market CNDO-109 from the University College London Business PLC.
Coronado is pursuing a global patent strategy for CNDO-109 in all major markets including the United States, Europe and Asia.
About CNDO-109
CNDO-109 is a novel anti-cancer drug that primes natural killer (NK) cells without the need for cytokine (IL-2) treatment and shows significant potential for the treatment of hematological and solid tumors. CNDO-109 has produced impressive results in a Phase I clinical trial in patients with AML and demonstrated preclinical activity in multiple myeloma, breast cancer, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer. Coronado plans to file an IND and initiate a Phase I/II dose escalation trial in AML patients in early 2012.
About Coronado Biosciences
Coronado Biosciences is engaged in the development of novel immunotherapy biologic agents. The Company's two principal pharmaceutical product candidates in clinical development are: CNDO-201, a biologic for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis; and CNDO-109, a biologic that activates natural killer (NK) cells, for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and solid tumors. For more information, please visit www.coronadobiosciences.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
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