MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., Dec. 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immunomedics, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMMU), a biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on the development of monoclonal antibody-based products for the targeted treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other serious diseases, today announced that it has received notice that its patent application for "Anti-CD19 antibodies," will issue as US patent No. 8,337,840 on December 25, 2012.
The allowed claims under the patent cover the use of specific humanized anti-CD19 monoclonal antibodies and fragments thereof for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The antibodies and fragments thereof can be used alone, conjugated to at least one therapeutic agent or in combination with other humanized, chimeric, human or murine monoclonal antibodies, such as antibodies reactive with CD20, CD22, CD74 or HLA-DR.
This patent, which provides coverage until 2024, also protects (19)-3s, a novel T-cell redirecting agent made as a DOCK-AND-LOCK™ (DNL™) complex using the Company's patented platform technology. The DNL™ complex recognizes CD19 on B cells and binds to CD3 on T cells. At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, (19)-3s was reported to bind to T cells and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cells simultaneously, and induce T-cell-mediated killing of NHL cells at less than 1 picomolar (pM) concentrations in an ex vivo setting, with maximal activity at 10 pM. (For more information, please refer to the Company's press release at www.immunomedics.com/pdfs/news/2012/pr12122012.pdf).
"We are pleased to receive this new patent, which offers protection for a new class of antibodies that complement our current portfolio of humanized antibodies in our clinical pipeline," commented Cynthia L. Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer.
About Immunomedics
Immunomedics is a New Jersey-based biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on the development of monoclonal antibody-based products for the targeted treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other serious diseases. We have developed a number of advanced proprietary technologies that allow us to create humanized antibodies that can be used either alone in unlabeled or "naked" form, or conjugated with radioactive isotopes, chemotherapeutics, cytokines or toxins, in each case to create highly targeted agents. Using these technologies, we have built a pipeline of therapeutic product candidates that utilize several different mechanisms of action. We also have a majority ownership in IBC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is developing a novel DOCK-AND-LOCK™ (DNL™) method with us for making fusion proteins and multifunctional antibodies, and a new method of delivering imaging and therapeutic agents selectively to disease, especially different solid cancers (colorectal, lung, pancreas, etc.), by proprietary, antibody-based, pretargeting methods. We believe that our portfolio of intellectual property, which includes approximately 210 active patents in the United States and more than 400 foreign patents, protects our product candidates and technologies. For additional information on us, please visit our website at www.immunomedics.com. The information on our website does not, however, form a part of this press release.
This release, in addition to historical information, may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements, including statements regarding clinical trials, out-licensing arrangements (including the timing and amount of contingent payments), forecasts of future operating results, potential collaborations, and capital raising activities, involve significant risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied herein. Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, risks associated with any cash payment that the Company might receive in connection with a sublicense involving a third party and UCB, which is not within the Company's control, new product development (including clinical trials outcome and regulatory requirements/actions), our dependence on our licensing partners for the further development of epratuzumab and veltuzumab for non-cancer indications, competitive risks to marketed products and availability of required financing and other sources of funds on acceptable terms, if at all, as well as the risks discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is not under any obligation, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.