Oxurion NV Confirms New Patents for THR-687 Issued by European and US Patent Offices

Oxurion NV announced a strengthening of its intellectual property (IP) portfolio governing THR-687, an integrin antagonist being developed for the treatment of DME.

The European Patent Office (EPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have both issued new composition-of-matter patents covering THR-687. Patents EP3613739 and US10703752 were issued in November 2020 and July 2020 respectively, and expire in 2039, with possible patent extensions of up to 5 additional years (2044). An international application is still pending.

THR-687 is a potential best-in-class small molecule pan-RGD integrin antagonist being developed to treat DME holding potential of becoming the standard of care for DME patients.

Data from a phase 1 trial showed that THR-687 is well-tolerated and safe with no dose-limiting toxicities and no serious adverse events reported at any of the doses evaluated in the study. Early signs of efficacy were also observed across all doses, with a rapid onset of action in mean Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) from Day 1. Following a single injection of the highest dose of THR-687, this activity was maintained at Month 3 with a mean BCVA improvement of 12.5 letters.

Oxurion preclinical data show that THR-687 has the potential to be developed for additional significant indications, including wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

“We are delighted that by using our in-house expertise to chemically optimize THR-687, we have generated an improved molecule for clinical development and extended its composition-of-matter patent coverage,”Patrik De Haes, MD, CEO of Oxurion, said in a company news release. “The new patents that have been granted will ensure exclusivity until at least 2039 in the most important US and European markets for THR-687. These patents are a key element in securing the potentially significant commercial opportunity for THR-687, given our initial aim to make it the standard of care for all DME patients.”