ReNeuron gets patent allowance in the US

(Sharecast News) - Cell-based therapeutics developer ReNeuron Group announced on Friday that the US Patent and Trademark office (USPTO) has completed its examination of its application titled 'phenotype profile of human retinal progenitor cells', and has issued a notification of allowance for the issue of a patent.
The AIM-traded firm said the allowed patent would protect the composition of its hRPC cell-based therapeutic candidate for retinal diseases, cultured under specific conditions to enhance its function, and identifiable by the presence and absence of specific cell surface markers.

It said the notification of allowance in the US added further intellectual property protection to the hRPC technology, which already had 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.

ReNeuron said the programme had been granted orphan drug designation in both Europe and the US, as well as fast track designation from the US Food and Drug Administration.

"We are pleased 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," said chief executive officer Olav Hellebø.

"The notice of allowance adds further value to our hRPC patent estate in the context of our aim to secure high value out-licensing deals for our retinal disease programme in due course."

At 1551 BST, shares in ReNeuron Group were up 3.56% at 116.5p.