HOUSTON, Aug. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 7 Hills Pharma, a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on the development of drugs for treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious diseases, announced today it had received broad patent protection from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on four patents covering the use of the company’s integrin activators with any therapeutic antibody, any checkpoint inhibitor for immuno-oncology, and any vaccine.
“The issuance of these patents indicates that the USPTO recognized the fundamental role of integrins and the unique functionality of our integrin activators in allowing such broad claims,” says Upendra Marathi, Ph.D., MBA, President and CEO of 7 Hills Pharma and a co-inventor of the technology. “This patent coverage on the integrin-based immunomodulatory platform technology may enable 7 Hills to become an essential partner for immuno-oncology and vaccine developers.”
7 Hills Pharma’s oral small molecule integrin activators directly promote cell adhesion, which is essential for immune system activation and for strengthening antigen specific immune responses of immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors for solid tumor cancers, and vaccines for COVID-19 and influenza. Preclinical data also indicate a positive safety profile for the company’s immunostimulants.
In the immunosuppressive environment of many solid tumors as well as in older patients, the counter-ligands for the integrin receptors are often down-regulated, thereby compromising proper immune cell trafficking and activation. The resulting defective cell adhesion contributes to why flu vaccines do not protect more than 50 percent of people over 65 and why immuno-oncology drugs fail in 70 percent of cancer patients. 7 Hills compounds aim to improve the efficacy of these therapies and significantly increase the number of patients who benefit.
The technology was co-invented by scientists at 7 Hills Pharma and the Texas Heart Institute. “Integrins, particularly α4β1 and αLβ2, are essential for generating productive antigen specific immune responses. By enhancing integrin function, this approach represents a novel strategy to enhance immune responsiveness to cancer therapies and vaccines,” said Darren Woodside, Ph.D., Texas Heart Institute Vice President for Research and co-inventor.
The company’s issued patent no. 10,342,866 covers the composition claims of any integrin activator and any therapeutic antibody. The company’s issued patent no. 10,709,781 covers composition claims of any integrin activator and any immune checkpoint inhibitor. The company’s issued patent nos. 10,709,780 and 10,716,849 cover the composition claims of any vaccine, including one of the company’s novel integrin activators, and an antigen and method claims for administering the vaccine compositions, respectively.
The US Food & Drug Administration has approved 7 Hills Pharma’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the company’s lead integrin activator, 7HP349, for use with immuno-oncology drugs and vaccines for COVID-19 and influenza. The company expects Phase 1 trials to begin in the fall of 2020.
About 7 Hills Pharma
7 Hills Pharma develops novel, cost-efficient, and accessible immunomodulatory agents that leverage well-known integrin biology to drive and enhance essential steps in the immune cycle. The company’s lead programs strive to improve the effectiveness of immuno-oncology therapies, including checkpoint inhibitors and vaccines, and cord blood transplantation in the treatment of cancers and genetic diseases. For more information, visit www.7hillspharma.com.
Media Contact: Robert Williams (robert@7hillspharma.com)