Ariad issued with cancer drug patent
novel use of mTOR inhibitors that are designed for the treatment of
cancers including soft-tissue and bone sarcomas; prostate, breast,
pancreatic, brain, lung and colon cancers; and lymphomas and
leukaemias.
The patent has relevance to Ariad's lead product candidate, AP23573, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of the protein mTOR, a "master switch" in cancer cells.
Blocking mTOR creates a starvation-like effect in cancer cells by interfering with cell growth, division, metabolism, and angiogenesis.
AP23573 is currently in Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials in patients with solid tumors and heamatologic cancers.
AP23573 has been designated both as a fast-track product and an orphan drug by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and as an orphan drug by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of soft-tissue and bone sarcomas.
The US Patent (7,091,213) will provide coverage through to the year 2023 and covers AP23573 itself and a family of small-molecule compounds structurally related to AP23573, as well as medical uses of these compounds, such as treatment of the various cancers.
Based on positive Phase II efficacy data announced earlier this year at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, AP23573 is set to enter a global Phase III clinical trial in patients with advanced sarcomas.
"This newly issued patent further strengthens our valuable intellectual property portfolio and highlights the novelty of our internally discovered mTOR inhibitor," said Harvey Berger, chairman and chief executive officer of Ariad.
"Issuance of this patent will support our partnering efforts for AP23573 for use in cancer and drug-eluting stents," he added.
In 2006, approximately 1.4m people in the US will be diagnosed with cancer.
According to the National Institutes of Health estimate, the overall cost of cancer in 2005 was $209.9bn (€111.4bn)
