Patent Will Specifically Cover Prophylactic and Post-Exposure Use of NasoShield in the U.S.
Patents with Similar Protection Already Issued in Europe and Japan
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Altimmune, Inc. (Nasdaq:ALT), a clinical-stage immunotherapeutics company, today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (US PTO) for patent application No. 14/870,570, “Targets and Compositions for Use in Decontamination, Immunoprophylaxis, and Post-Exposure Therapy Against Anthrax” (‘570 patent). The ‘570 patent claims extend the IP coverage for NasoShield by the intranasal administration route. The Company has already been granted patents extending IP protection for intranasal administration of NasoShield in Europe and Japan.
Anthrax vaccines can be used as General Use Prophylactics (GUP) to establish immunity to anthrax disease prior to exposure to the pathogen, or as a Post-Exposure Prophylactic (PEP) for use with antibiotic therapy following exposure to the pathogen. The ‘570 patent covers NasoShield in both the GUP and PEP setting.
“We continue to protect our technology through strategic intellectual property achievements and this Notice of Allowance is an important addition to our IP portfolio,” said Bill Enright, President and Chief Executive Officer of Altimmune.
Altimmune’s NasoShield anthrax vaccine candidate is being developed as the ultimate anthrax vaccine. NasoShield is based on the Company’s RespirVec technology to provide protection following a single intranasal administration as opposed to multiple injections. Based on head-to-head results from studies performed in gold-standard preclinical models, NasoShield provided more rapid and persistent protection when compared to the currently approved anthrax vaccine, both potential key advantages for presumed use in a bioterrorism emergency.
The Company’s anthrax vaccine candidates are being developed with support from the United States Government Department of Health and Human Services. NasoShield is being developed with the support of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority under contract HHSO100201600008C.
About Altimmune
Altimmune is a clinical-stage immunotherapeutics company focused on the development of products to stimulate robust and durable immune responses for the prevention and treatment of disease including NasoVAX, a Phase 2 seasonal influenza vaccine candidate, and HepTcell, a Phase 1 immunotherapeutic candidate for the potential cure of chronic hepatitis B. The company also has two United States government funded, next-generation anthrax vaccine candidates that are intended to improve protection and safety while having favorable dosage and storage requirements compared to other anthrax vaccines.
Forward-Looking Statement
Any statements made in this press release relating to future financial or business performance, conditions, plans, prospects, trends, or strategies and other financial and business matters, including without limitation, the prospects for commercializing or selling any product or drug candidates, and the Company’s leadership are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, when or if used in this press release, the words “may,” “could,” “should,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict” and similar expressions and their variants, as they relate to Altimmune, Inc. (the “Company”) may identify forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward looking statements or historical experience include risks and uncertainties, including risks relating to: realizing the benefits of the merger between Altimmune, Inc. and PharmAthene, Inc.; clinical trials and the commercialization of proposed product candidates (such as marketing, regulatory, product liability, supply, competition, dependence on third parties and other risks); the regulatory approval process; dependence on intellectual property; the Company’s BARDA contract and other government programs, reimbursement and regulation; and the lack of financial resources and access to capital to fund proposed operations. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect the Company's business, financial conditions and results of operations are contained in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed March 14, 2017, Forms 10-Q filed August 14, 2017 and November 9, 2017, and in a Form 8-K filed August 17, 2017, which are available at www.sec.gov.
Altimmune Contacts
Bill Enright
President and CEO
Phone: 240-654-1450
Email: enright@altimmune.com
Ashley Robinson
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
617-775-5956
arr@lifesciadvisors.com