Seneca Therapeutics, Inc. Announces Issued U.S Patents for Tumor Endothelial Marker 8 (TEM8) Technology to Enable Better Patient Selection for SVV-001 Therapy

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seneca Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of oncolytic immune-therapeutics based on Seneca Valley Virus (SVV-001), announced today the issuance and allowance of several U.S. patents for TEM8 (also known as ANTXR1) licensed from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). TEM8 may enable pre-screening of solid tumors to determine if SVV-001 might be effective in that patient. This discovery is based on research from Charles Rudin, MD, PhD., Chief, Thoracic Oncology Service at MSK and his team.

U.S. Patent No. 11,096,972 B2 for Seneca valley virus (SVV) cellular receptor targeted oncotherapy, was issued today by the U.S. Patent Office. This patent covers combination therapies with Seneca Valley Virus (SVV) in patients who have a normal or an elevated expression level of ANTXR1 and a decreased expression level of IFN-I in a cancerous tissue.

That patent follows U.S. Patent No. 10,537,599 B2 for Seneca valley virus (SVV) cellular receptor targeted oncotherapy which issued on January 21, 2020 and broadly covers methods for treating cancer, comprising: determining an expression level of anthrax toxin receptor 1 (ANTXR1) in a cancerous tissue from a patient, and administering to the patient an effective amount of Seneca Valley Virus (SVV) if a normal expression level or an elevated expression level of ANTXR1 is detected in the cancerous tissue.

Patent applications protecting these inventions are also pending throughout the world in Europe, China, Australia, Canada, Israel and India. This adds to the growing body of issued intellectual property that broadly covers SVV, SVV analogues, and methods of killing cancer cells using SVV and related analogues, to which Seneca Therapeutics owns exclusive rights.

Dr. Paul Hallenbeck, Founder, President, and Chief Scientific Officer at Seneca Therapeutics commented “We are very pleased with the progress of these patents in the U.S. Patent Office. Our exclusive license to these patents, with rights to sublicense, will help to maintain Seneca Therapeutics’ leadership in treating cancers using SVV.”

About Seneca Therapeutics

Seneca Therapeutics was founded by Dr. Paul Hallenbeck to develop SVV-001. Seneca Therapeutics is also developing armed versions of SVV-001 that will selectively express gene product(s) that are inserted into the genome of SVV-001 and create additional anti-tumor effects.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” concerning the development of Seneca Therapeutics products, the potential benefits and attributes of those products, and the company’s expectations regarding its prospects. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual future events or results to differ materially from such statements. These statements are made as of the date of this press release. Actual results may vary. Seneca Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason.

Disclosures

Dr. Rudin has intellectual property interests related to TEM8. Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) has intellectual property and associated interests related to Seneca by virtue of the licensing agreement between MSK and Seneca.