- Protects UV1 vaccine-checkpoint inhibitor combinations in cancer until at least 2037
- Covers UV1 combined with CTLA-4, PD-1 or PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors
- Notice of intention to grant received in Europe. Corresponding patent granted in the US, additional applications pending
Oslo, 13 April 2023: Ultimovacs ASA ("Ultimovacs") (OSE ULTI), a clinical stage leader in immune stimulatory vaccines for cancer, received a Notice of Intention to Grant from the European Patent Office (EPO) concerning its European Patent application 17729078.0 on the use of vaccine-checkpoint inhibitor combinations to treat cancer.
Subject to grant formalities including translations and fee disbursement, the European patent will issue with a patent term to June 2037. When granted, the European patent and its counterpart in the US add substantially to the strong intellectual property base Ultimovacs is building around UV1 combination therapies. Supplementary Patent Certificates around UV1-combination therapies have the potential to further extend protection beyond 2037.
The patent is the European counterpart of the US patent No. 11419927 which was granted in August 2022. The Company has similar patent applications pending in other territories worldwide, including Japan, Canada and Australia. They cover synergistic cancer treatments that include the UV1 peptide vaccine in combination with an anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibody checkpoint inhibitor. The primary patents of many of the current CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors face expiry over the course of the next several years.
“We are pleased that the novelty and utility of Ultimovacs’ combination immunotherapies have been acknowledged by both the United States Patent and Trademark Office and now by the European Patent Office,” said Carlos de Sousa, Chief Executive Officer of Ultimovacs. “Ultimovacs continues to build substantial intellectual property around UV1-checkpoint inhibitor combinations while exploring the clinical value of the combinations across many cancers through an extensive Phase II clinical trial program.”
==ENDS==
About Ultimovacs
Ultimovacs is a clinical-stage biotechnology leader developing novel immunotherapeutic cancer vaccines to treat a broad range of cancer types. Ultimovacs’ lead universal cancer vaccine candidate, UV1, targets human telomerase (hTERT), present in 85-90% of cancers in all stages of tumor growth. By directing the immune system to hTERT antigens, UV1 drives CD4 helper T cells to the tumor to activate an immune system cascade and increase anti-tumor responses. With a broad Phase II program in five cancer indications enrolling more than 670 patients in Europe, the US and Australia, Ultimovacs aims to clinically demonstrate UV1’s impact in multiple cancer types, in combination with other immunotherapies, for patients with unmet needs. Ultimovacs’ second technology approach, the proprietary Tetanus-Epitope-Targeting (TET) platform, combines tumor-specific peptides and a tetanus-based adjuvant in the same molecule.
For further information, please see www.ultimovacs.com or contact:
Carlos de Sousa, CEO
Email: carlos.desousa@ultimovacs.com
Phone: +47 908 92507
Anne Worsøe, Head of Investor Relations
Email: anne.worsoe@ultimovacs.com
Phone: +47 90686815
Mary-Ann Chang, LifeSci Advisors
Email: mchang@lifesciadvisors.com
Phone: +44 7483 284 853
This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 in the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
This stock exchange announcement was published by Anne Worsøe, Head of Investor Reat Ultimovacs ASA, on 13 April, 2023 at 11:30 CET.
