A key patent was recently granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to TxCell SA for its lead product Ovasave® to address inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The patent will protect Ovasave until 2030.
TxCell SA is a biotechnology company committed to developing cost-effective, innovative and personalized T-cell immunotherapies through the utilization of antigen specific regulatory T-cells (Ag-Tregs) that might address the unmet needs of autoimmune and severe chronic inflammatory diseases. Ovasave is now being assessed in a placebo-controlled, multi-national, phase 2b trial for refractory Crohn’s disease.
This patent is the most recent asset for TxCell as it protects a very promising method to assess treatment for intestinal IBD through the company Ovasave (ovalbumin-specific autologous Treg cells (Ova-Treg), a personalized T cell immunotherapy candidate. In Russia, the equivalent patent has already been granted. Other applications for patents concerning Ovasave to address IBD are pending in global major markets. TxCell actually controls or owns over 140 patents within in the field of antigen-specific Treg (Ag-Treg) cell-based therapy. These patents provide large coverage of the use, production and characterization of Ag-Tregs to treat chronic autoimmune inflammatory diseases.
Damian Marron, TxCell’s CEO, said in a press release: “This valuable new US patent further bolsters TxCell’s intellectual property coverage and provides extensive coverage for TxCell’s lead product Ovasave in the world’s largest market. Combined with other globally granted and pending patents for TxCell’s product portfolio, TxCell is building a critical comprehensive and enforceable patent portfolio to protect the commercial potential of our personalized T cell immunotherapies. TxCell now owns or controls a total of more than 140 granted patents in the field of antigen-specific Treg cell-based therapy. We will continue to actively protect our new discoveries to further protect and extend our innovative technologies and product portfolio.”
An exclusive alternative to license Ovasave’s intellectual property portfolio to treat IBD was granted to Ferring SA by TxCell following the conclusion of the currently ongoing phase 2b trial in refractory Crohn’s disease. In December 2013 the original agreement between the two companies was signed, and it led to about EUR 76 million in profits. Ferring will continue to be the intended commercialization partner.