Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics Licenses Additional Novel Gene Therapy Vectors from National Institutes of Health
AMSTERDAM, September 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –
Gains US Patent Protection for Proprietary AAV Intellectual
Property
Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (Euronext: AMT), a leader in the field
of human gene therapy, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive
license agreement with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) for use of
adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5)-based gene therapy vectors for
liver and brain indications. This agreement expands on an original
non-exclusive license for AAV5 from the NIH. Financial details of the
agreement have not been disclosed.
Concurrent with the signing of this exclusive license, AMT has received
a notice of allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) for its patent application entitled “AAV vectors produced in insect
cells”, which covers a core asset of the Company’s proprietary manufacturing
technology. This patent comprises a novel and significantly improved method
of delivery of therapeutic genes to targets using adeno-associated viral
(AAV) derived vectors produced in insect cells. The technology has already
been successfully applied to Glybera(R), a gene therapy for lipoprotein
lipase deficiency (LPLD). AMT believes this intellectual property together
with the NIH exclusive license places the Company in a unique position for a
number of AAV serotype 5-based programs, including hemophilia, acute
intermittent prophyria, GDNF-related diseases and Sanfilippo B.
“This expansion of our existing AAV5 license with NIH is an important
addition to our intellectual property position as it supports several of our
pipeline products that follow Glybera. The granting of an exclusive license
by the NIH is very unusual and we believe acknowledges AMT’s status in the
gene therapy sector,” stated Jorn Aldag, CEO of AMT. “As well as continuing
to work diligently towards the re-examination of Glybera registration
dossier, we also appreciate the significant value and need to patients of
the other gene therapy programs.”
About Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics
AMT is a world leader in the development of human gene based therapies.
The company’s lead product Glybera(R), a gene therapy for lipoprotein lipase
deficiency (LPLD), is currently under review by the European Medicines
Agency (EMA). If approved, Glybera will be the first gene therapy product to
be marketed in Europe. AMT also has a product pipeline of several gene
therapy products in development for hemophilia B, Duchenne muscular
dystrophy, acute intermittent porphyria, Parkinson’s disease and
SanfilippoB. Using adeno-associated viral (AAV) derived vectors as the
delivery vehicle of choice for therapeutic genes, the company has been able
to design and validate probably the world’s first stable and scalable AAV
manufacturing platform. This proprietary platform can be applied to a large
number of rare (orphan) diseases caused by one faulty gene and allows AMT to
pursue its strategy of focusing on this sector of the industry. AMT was
founded in 1998 and is based in Amsterdam. Further information can be found
at http://www.amtbiopharma.com.
Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking
statements” including those that refer to management’s plans and
expectations for future operations, prospects and financial condition. Words
such as “strategy,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “will,”
“continues,” “estimates,” “intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “targets” and
other words of similar meaning are intended to identify such forward-looking
statements. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the
management of AMT only. Undue reliance should not be placed on these
statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown
risks and can be affected by factors that are beyond the control of AMT.
Actual results could differ materially from current expectations due to a
number of factors and uncertainties affecting AMT’s business. AMT expressly
disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements
herein except as required by law.
SOURCE Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics B.V
