Key China patent for PharmAust

PharmAust, an ASX-listed pharmaceutical research company, has secured a key China patent.

The patent, entitled ‘Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer’, claims the use of aminoacetonitrile derivatives as potent kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. The priority date for the patent is 2013, which provides the company with a minimum of 16 more years of IP protection.

Aminoacetonitrile derivatives include the Novartis Animal Health compound Monepantel (MPL) that PharmAust has patented for cancer applications and which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

Dr Richard Hopkins, PharmAust’s CEO commented, “We are delighted with the allowance of this ‘Method of Use’ patent for aminocetonitriles as it secures PharmAust’s core intellectual property in a key world market. This represents the first member of our MPL-related patent portfolio to be issued and we expect others to follow later this year.

“We are also pleased by the broad claims that were granted, providing us with very strong protection for this class of molecule,” added Dr Hopkins.