Patent Status Update

RNS Number : 0820M

ValiRx PLC

19 January 2021

 

19 January 2021

("ValiRx", the "Company" or the "Group")

Patent Status Update

Notification of allowance of VAL201 for the treatment of metastatic cancer

and four other patents granted

London, UK - ValiRx plc ("ValiRx", AIM:VAL), a clinical stage drug development company, announces that its patent portfolio continued to build in 2020, with four patents granted during the last 12 months (see table below).

Additionally, in January 2021, the European Patent Office notified the Company of its intention to grant a patent which extends patent cover for VAL201 into metastatic cancer.  These statements of protection are similar to those granted by the US patent office announced in November 2019 and creates a broad coverage of use of the peptide in an important area of oncology.

The patents granted during 2020 and the notice received by the European Patent Office in relation to VAL201 can be found below:

Project	Patent Family	Patent Granted	Date Granted/allowance	Impact
VAL201	WO/2008/113770 Use of the peptide against cancer	JP6689430	April 2020	A new patent linked to the previously granted Japanese patents to strengthen the portfolio
	WO/2014/177868 Use of the peptide against metastases	EP number to be assigned	April 2021	Extends protection for the use of VAL201 into metastatic cancer
VAL301	WO/2013/064830 Use of the peptide against non-cancerous proliferative conditions	EP2773427	January 2021	This includes the use in the treatment of endometriosis, as well as other non-cancerous conditions hormone-driven conditions (including hyperplasia)
VAL401	WO/2014/049071	CN104797271	March 2020	The first Chinese patent granted for VAL401, granted claims include the composition of the formulation and use in the treatment of cancerous and non-cancerous disease linked to the mechanism of action
		JP6734346	August 2020	Covers the use of VAL401 in the treatment of lung cancer

The full patent portfolio for each project can be found on the project pages of the Company's website: https://www.valirx.com/our-pipeline

Dr Suzy Dilly, Chief Executive Officer commented: "It is important for ValiRx to continue to build value in our product portfolio by protecting intellectual property.  The patenting process involves rigorous scrutiny of the proposal, testing for novelty and utility before a patent is allowed to be granted.  Granted patents provide protection of the intellectual value of our research and provide further evidence to potential partners of the value of our products.

"I am very pleased that we have continued to extend protection across our three core products through 2020 and into January of this year. This is an important component of value creation in the Company and a high priority for the Board."

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. The Directors of the Company take responsibility for this announcement.

Ends

For further information please contact:

ValiRx plc	Tel: [phone] www.valirx.com
Suzanne Dilly, CEO	[e-mail]
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nominated Adviser) Liam Murray / Jo Turner / Ludovico Lazzaretti	Tel: [phone]
Peterhouse Capital Limited (Sole Broker) Duncan Vasey / Lucy Williams / Eran Zucker	Tel: [phone]
Optimum Strategic Communications Supriya Mathur/ Shabnam Bashir	Tel: [phone] [e-mail]

About ValiRx plc

ValiRx accelerates the development of treatments in oncology and women's health to improve patient lives. We provide the scientific, financial and commercial framework towards enabling rapid translation of innovative science into clinical development.

With our extensive and proven experience in research and drug development, we select and incubate promising novel drug candidates and guide them through an optimised process of development, from pre-clinical studies to clinic and investor-ready assets.

Integrating science and business

We connect diverse disciplines across scientific, technical and commercial domains, with the aim of achieving a more streamlined, less costly, drug development process.  We work closely with our selected collaborators and leverage the combined expertise required for science to advance.

Lead candidates from our portfolio are out-licensed or partnered with investors through ValiRx subsidiary companies for further clinical development and commercialisation. https://www.valirx.com/

About VAL201

VAL201 is a short peptide being studied as a potential treatment for prostate cancer. The peptide structure is inspired by the naturally occurring androgen receptor and is designed to intercept and prevent the binding of the androgen receptor to SRC kinase - an enzyme implicated in cancerous cell growth pathways. By preventing the androgen-mediated activation of SRC kinase, VAL201 can potentially prevent cancerous cell proliferation (or growth) without interfering with other functions of either the androgen receptor or SRC kinase. This precision method, mimicking a natural process, proposes a high specificity of cancer treatment with a lower side effect profile. VAL201 was licensed from CRT (part of CRUK) and developed through preclinical development into this clinical trial in patients with advanced prostate cancer. The study was held at University College Hospital (UCLH), London.

About Prostate Cancer

Around 48,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK each year[1]. In men, it is the most common cancer in the UK.  Prostate cancer is most common in older men. On average each year 35 out of 100 (35%) of new cases are in men aged 75 and over.

Caution regarding forward looking statements

Certain statements in this announcement, are, or may be deemed to be, forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ''believe'', ''could'', "should" ''envisage'', ''estimate'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''plan'', ''potentially'', "expect", ''will'' or the negative of those, variations or comparable expressions, including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Such forward looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that it anticipates.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include risks relating to unanticipated costs, liabilities or delays; failure or delays in research and development programs; the safety and efficacy of the Company's product candidates and the likelihood of clinical data to be positive and of such product candidates to be approved by the applicable regulatory authorities; unanticipated changes relating to competitive factors in the Company's industry; risks relating to the Company's capitalisation, resources and ownership structure, the availability of sufficient resources for company operations and to conduct or continue planned clinical development programs; the outcome of any legal proceedings; risks related to the ability to correctly estimate operating expenses; risks related to the ability to project future cash utilisation and reserves needed for contingent future liabilities and business operations; risks related to the changes in market prices of the Company's ordinary shares; the Company's ability to hire and retain key personnel; changes in law or regulations affecting the Company; international, national or local economic, social or political conditions that could adversely affect the Company and its business; conditions in the credit markets; risks associated with assumptions the Company makes in connection with its critical accounting estimates and other judgments.

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