PLANEGG-MARTINSRIED, Germany, July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Munich-based drug discovery and development company 4SC AG has been informed by the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) that the office has granted the patent with the US patent number 7,071,355. This patent protects, apart from the composition of a group of DHODH inhibitors that are chemically related to 4SC's clinical drug candidate (SC12267), also their use as a medication to treat diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or cancer.
"This patent is of strategic significance for a potential licensing partnership related to our most advanced project and strengthens our position in the competitive environment around autoimmune diseases," commented Ulrich Dauer, CEO of 4SC AG. "Partners in the pharmaceutical industry consider a clear patent situation as crucial and the US is the most important pharmaceutical market in the world."
"This builds up our foundation of proprietary rights for our therapeutic pipeline," emphasises Daniel Vitt, CSO of 4SC AG and inventor of the company's technological platform. "The granting of the patent is another example of the outstanding performance of our technology." International patents equivalent to the US patent have also been applied for in other important markets, including Europe, Japan and Canada.
DHODH inhibitors
DHODH inhibitors block the protein DHODH (dehydro-orotate dehydrogenase), which plays an important role in the biosynthesis of pyrimidines, and thus the proliferation of rapidly dividing cells, especially of lymphocytes, a key cell in the immune response of the body. 4SC AG has already been successful in advancing one DHODH inhibitor, a substance named SC12267, from research into clinical development. SC12267 belongs to a drug class called DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs), developed for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis.
About 4SC
4SC AG (ISIN DE0005753818) has been listed in the Prime Standard of Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 15 December 2005. Founded in 1997 and now with a staff of 55, the company develops novel drug candidates for inflammatory diseases and cancer using a cheminformatics based technology platform. Traditional high throughput screening of therapeutic agents has been transferred from the lab to the computer. Thus, the company offers substantial cost and time advantages as well as increased success rates in drug development. 4SC AG uses its patented technology platform to create a sustainable product pipeline for active agents that are developed in early clinical phases ("proof of concept") and subsequently result in upfront and milestone payments as well as participation in sales generated by out-licensed products to the pharmaceutical industry. The pipeline currently has five projects, the first of which, on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, has successfully completed clinical phase I. Preparations for the conduct of the IIa clinical phase are well under way. In addition the project pipeline contains three projects in pre-clinical stage as well as one project in discovery stage. Furthermore, the company has its technology platform in co-operation projects with biotech and pharma companies and is already generating initial revenues.
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For more information please contact: 4SC AG Bettina von Klitzing; Manager Public Relations & Investor Relations Am Klopferspitz 19a D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany Tel: +49-(0)-89-700-763-0 eMail: Bettina.von.Klitzing@4sc.comhttp://www.4sc.de
4SC AGCONTACT: For more information please contact: 4SC AG, Bettina vonKlitzing; Manager Public Relations & Investor Relations, Am Klopferspitz19a, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany, Tel: +49-(0)-89-700-763-0,eMail: Bettina.von.Klitzing@4sc.com, http://www.4sc.de
