Imugene secures Japanese patent for Linguet

Imugene (ASX:IMU) has secured a Japanese patent covering its core Linguet drug delivery technology.

The patent covers Linguet formulations for bisphosphonic acids and bisphosphonates, classes of drugs used to prevent the loss of bone mass in conditions including osteoporosis.

Imugene’s Linguet technology involves tablets designed to deliver drugs into the bloodstream when placed inside the cheek or under the tongue.

Initial development has concentrated on a vitamin D supplement, designed to deliver a more controlled dose than tablets intended to be swallowed. Imugene expects to be able to file for regulatory approval for the product in the UK in 2014.

Executive director Dr Nick Ede said the Japanese patent will allow Imugene to build on its work on the vitamin D tablets.

“This new patent will allow us to investigate the potential for our vitamin D target - a key factor in promoting calcium absorption - to be combined with bisphosphonates used to treat bone loss,” he said.

Vitamin D deficiency - which affects an estimated 31% of Australian adults - is linked to conditions including pre-diabetes, osteoperosis, cardiovascular health and prostate cancer.

Imugene (ASX:IMU) shares were trading unchanged at $0.010 as of around 1 pm on Wednesday.