SCOHIA PHARMA and Kuria Therapeutics Announce Issuance of Key Patent Covering Novel Nrf2 Activator

January 5, 2023 |

3 min read

SCOHIA PHARMA, Inc and Kuria Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent Office has issued a composition-of-matter patent covering SCO-116, a novel Nrf2 activator being developed by Kuria for prevention and treatment of eye and skin diseases.

KANAGAWA, Japan & LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SCOHIA PHARMA, Inc, a Japanese biotech company dedicated to developing medicines for lifestyle-related diseases with high unmet needs, and Kuria Therapeutics, Inc., a U.S. pharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for ophthalmic and dermal diseases, today announced that the U.S. Patent Office has issued a composition-of-matter patent covering SCO-116, a novel Nrf2 activator being developed by Kuria for prevention and treatment of eye and skin diseases.

U.S. Patent 11,518,763 covers a novel series of macrocyclic molecules discovered by SCOHIA PHARMA, including SCO-116, which activate Nrf2 and are useful for a broad array of diseases involving oxidative stress and inflammation. The Nrf2 pathway is widely recognized as the master regulator of the antioxidant response, and plays a key role in cellular defense against external insults and pathogens, as well as the regulation of the inflammatory response. This U.S. Patent is solely owned by SCOHIA PHARMA, and Kuria Therapeutics holds an exclusive, worldwide license to develop SCO-116 for topical treatment of eye and skin diseases. SCOHIA PHARMA retains the worldwide rights to SCO-116 other than the rights which are exclusively licensed to Kuria Therapeutics.

“We are pleased that the U.S. Patent Office has issued this critical patent covering the novel chemical matter discovered in our laboratories,” commented Masanori Watanabe, President, CEO, and CSO of SCOHIA PHARMA. “At SCOHIA we are dedicated to discovering new molecules that can become medications for important unmet medical needs, and this latest patent affirms our team’s creativity and passion for innovation.”

“The issuance of the U.S. Patent covering SCO-116 is a key development for us, as well,” stated Dr. Keith Ward, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kuria Therapeutics. “When we licensed topical development rights for skin and eye disease last year, we were confident in this outcome, and achieving composition-of-matter coverage for our key development molecule is an important milestone for Kuria.”

About SCO-116:

SCO-116 is a novel Nrf2 activator originated by SCOHIA which selectively inhibits the interaction of Nrf2 and KEAP1* through non-covalent binding. Unlike many other putative Nrf2 activators under development which covalently bind to KEAP1, SCO-116 is expected to exhibit a favorable safety profile because of its selectivity. Initial one-week toxicity studies in rats and monkeys with SCO-116 have demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile. SCO-116 has the potential to prevent and/or treat diverse diseases with high unmet medical needs such as chronic kidney diseases, diabetic kidney diseases, lung diseases, and liver diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, as well as eye and skin diseases.

*KEAP1 acts as a regulator of Nrf2 by targeting it for ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome-dependent degradation.

About Kuria Therapeutics, Inc.:

Kuria Therapeutics, Inc. is a US-based pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel therapeutics for ophthalmic and dermal disease. We are seasoned life science executives and entrepreneurs with decades of experience in building biotechnology companies, running complex multi-national development programs, managing alliances with partners, and building relationships with clinicians, investors, vendors, and patient groups. For detailed information about Kuria Therapeutics, Inc., please visit www.kuriatx.com.

About SCOHIA PHARMA, Inc.:

SCOHIA PHARMA, Inc. is a drug discovery bioventure focusing on the field of lifestyle-related diseases such as cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal diseases where high unmet medical needs still remain. Our R&D team has a rich pipeline and track record in each stage of drug development, including compound discovery, drug evaluation, and clinical development, which makes us special. For detailed information about SCOHIA PHARMA, Inc., please visit https://www.scohia.com/eng/.