Notification of Allowance granted for US patent

ReNeuron Group plc (AIM: RENE), a UK-based global leader in the development of cell-based therapeutics, today announces that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has completed its examination of patent application 15/613,030, entitled: “Low oxygen culture conditions for maintaining retinal progenitor cell multipotency”, and has issued a notification of allowance for the issuance of a patent.

This important allowed patent protects both the composition of ReNeuron’s hRPC cell-based therapeutic candidate and its method of use.  As such, it constitutes a principal layer of intellectual property pertaining to the Company’s retinal disease programme.

This notification of allowance in the US follows the previously announced grant of a US patent in July 2020 (14/379,239) relating to the culture of the Company’s hRPC therapeutic candidate under specific conditions to enhance function and enable identification by the presence and absence of specific cell surface markers.  

These recent patent grants add further intellectual property protection to the hRPC technology which already has patent protection in a number of other major territories including Europe, Japan and Australia.

The hRPC therapeutic candidate is currently undergoing Phase 2a clinical evaluation for the treatment of the inherited blindness-causing disorder retinitis pigmentosa (RP).  This programme has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in both Europe and the US, as well as Fast Track designation from the FDA in the US.  Orphan Drug Designation provides the potential for a significant period of market exclusivity once the therapy is approved in those territories.  Fast Track designated products may also be eligible for accelerated approval and priority review programmes offered by the FDA.

Commenting on the notification of allowance, Olav Hellebø, Chief Executive Officer of ReNeuron, said:

 “We are delighted to have received this latest US notice of allowance to add to ReNeuron’s extensive patent estate of over 250 patents across 29 patent families encompassing all of its technologies and therapeutic candidates.  This patent, together with the earlier patent granted in July, adds significant value to our hRPC patent estate, supporting our aim to secure future high value out-licensing deals for our retinal disease programme.”