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Prokarium Secures Two US Patents for Novel Cancer Immunotherapy Platform

• Prokarium has received two USPTO Notices of Allowance strengthening its position in bladder cancer treatment, covering salmonella-based immunotherapy and combination therapy with checkpoint inhibitors.

• The company's lead candidate ZH9, an intravesical immunotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, is currently enrolling patients in the PARADIGM-1 study across multiple US centers.

• Prokarium recently secured a UKRI engineering biology grant to advance its Living Cures platform, aimed at developing programmable off-the-shelf therapeutics.

The UK-based biopharmaceutical company Prokarium has strengthened its intellectual property portfolio with two significant patent allowances from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), bolstering its position in cancer immunotherapy development.

Patent Portfolio Expansion Details

The first patent application (17/752,707) covers an innovative combination therapy approach, pairing Prokarium's proprietary salmonella strains with immune checkpoint inhibitors to enhance therapeutic efficacy. The second patent (18/559,543) protects a novel salmonella-based methodology for treating neoplastic diseases, combining targeted anti-tumor activity with immune response stimulation.

Clinical Development Progress

Prokarium's lead candidate, ZH9, is advancing through clinical development as an intravesical treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The therapy is currently being evaluated in the PARADIGM-1 study, with active patient enrollment across multiple US clinical sites. This development milestone follows the FDA's clearance of the company's investigational new drug (IND) application in November 2023.

Strategic Implications and Future Direction

"This patent bolsters our IP portfolio and, more importantly, creates a stronger foundation for our clinical programme in bladder cancer," stated Prokarium CEO Kristen Albright. She emphasized that these innovations represent a significant value driver for the company, enhancing its position to attract strategic partnerships and investment opportunities.

Platform Technology Advancement

Further strengthening its technological capabilities, Prokarium recently secured a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) engineering biology grant in March 2024. This funding, delivered through Innovate UK's Technology Missions Fund, will accelerate the development of the company's Living Cures platform. The platform aims to revolutionize precision medicine through the development of programmable off-the-shelf therapeutics, marking a significant step forward in synthetic biology applications for cancer treatment.
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Reference News

[1]
Prokarium bolsters IP portfolio with two new US patents - Pharmaceutical Technology
pharmaceutical-technology.com · Nov 4, 2024

Prokarium received two USPTO Notices of Allowance for patents enhancing its bladder cancer treatments, including co-admi...

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