ImmunoGen, Inc. Receives Patent on Production of DM1
ImmunoGen, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued the Company U.S. Patent 6,333,410 B1, which covers the preparation and purification of thiol-containing maytansinoids, such as DM1. DM1 is the lead small molecule effector drug used in the Company's Tumor-Activated Prodrug (TAP) technology. "An important part of our corporate strategy is to consider all of the steps necessary to turn our innovative TAP technology into significant commercial products," said Mitchel Sayare, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of ImmunoGen, Inc. "Our development of a patent-protected method of DM1 production is consistent with this strategy."
ImmunoGen's TAP technology is designed to deliver a highly potent cell- killing agent, such as DM1, specifically to cancer cells with minimal harm to healthy tissue. Each TAP product is comprised of the cytotoxic effector molecules bound to a selective, cancer-targeting monoclonal antibody. The antibody delivers the effector molecules specifically to the targeted cancer. Once the TAP product has bound to the cancer cell, it is internalized into the cell, the effector molecules are released and the cancer cell is killed.
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