SYGNIS strengthens its KIBRA-Project: First Patents announced for Europe and the USA

09-May-2011 - Germany

SYGNIS Pharma AG announced that both the European Patent Office (EPO) and the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have given notice that they expect to issue elementary KIBRA-patent-applications.

Dr. Frank Rathgeb, CMO of SYGNIS commented: “We are encouraged to receive the notification from the EPO and the USPTO regarding the issue of our first patents in the field of memory disorders, which is of growing importance. As the clear scientific progress of our KIBRA-project, which we have shown over the past few months via our in vivo “Proof of Principle” studies, also the improved patent position strengthens the overall value of our KIBRA-project and increases awareness amongst potential partners.”

With its KIBRA-program SYGNIS has entered a completely new kind of approach for the development of novel treatments of memory disorders such as dementia. In numerous studies, the direct relationship between the KIBRA gene and the memory performance has been confirmed and shown that the differences in the nucleotide sequence, i.e. the order of the building blocks of the KIBRA gene, has a significant effect on the human memory performance.

Apart from the clinical efficacy trial with AX200 for the treatment of acute stoke (AXIS 2) KIBRA is the second key project in SYGNIS’ pipeline. With this regard, SYGNIS made good progress in developing drugs, which significantly improve memory performance by modulating the KIBRA-pathway in pharmacological therapy. Based on the already established in vitro and in vivo Proof of Principle for the role of KIBRA in learning and memory, SYGNIS has started a screening program, applying one of its proprietary assays, for the identification of suitable compounds, which could have an effect on the KIBRA activity. SYGNIS expects to have the results of the screening program and nominated candidates during the third quarter of 2011. Based on these findings SYGNIS will look to further strengthen its intellectual property position regarding KIBRA in addition to numerous patent applications already filed.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/132303/sygnis-strengthens-its-kibra-project-first-patents-announced-for-europe-and-the-usa.html