US-PATENT FOR MEDIGENE’S GENE TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY ISSUED
The biopharmaceutical company MediGene AG (NMarkt: MDG) announced today the issuance of US-Patent US 6,207,453. The granted patent protects a method which allows a safe and efficient integration of foreign DNA into target cells using recombinant Adeno Associated viruses (rAAV). MediGene’s highly-specific second generation AAV-Technology overcomes many difficulties associated with the delivery of therapeutic genes into patients.
Usually, recombinant AAVs carrying foreign DNA (i.e. genes of therapeutic molecules) do not integrate at predictable sites into the genome of target cells. Thus, the introduced DNA can be lost in subsequent cell divisions resulting in the loss of therapeutic efficacy. In addition, a non-specific integration into certain sites of the genome can lead to non-desirable secondary effects in the target cells.
The ”second generation” AAV-technology consists of a unique gene delivery system allowing the integration of recombinant AAV into the genome of target cells at certain locations. This feature overcomes one of the most important issues in in-vivo gene therapy in terms of safety, efficacy and long term expression of therapeutic genes in dividing cells.
“This patent protects our second-generation AAV-based products” explained Peter Heinrich, Ph.D., MediGene’s CEO. “The claimed transduction system enhances the impact of our AAV-technology as a safe and efficient method for in-vivo therapeutic gene delivery and strengthens MediGenes AAV technology portfolio. With the granted patent we are in a position to exclusively exploit novel in-vivo gene therapy approaches against so far incurable diseases either in internal programs or through collaborative partnerships. He adds: "It is MediGene’s general strategy to aggressively build up its proprietary technology platforms to secure the commercial potential of it´s products."
To further enlarge its strong AAV patent portfolio, MediGene has submitted additional international patent applications for the ex vivo and in vivo transfer of therapeutic genes. Currently, MediGene is developing a melanoma vaccine based on MediGene’s first generation proprietary AAV-technology in a strategic partnership with Aventis Pharma.
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