Enzo Biochem Inc. Announces Issuance of United States Patent for Treatment of Liver Cancer Using Ozanimod

On May 10, 2019 Enzo Biochem, Inc. (NYSE:ENZ) reported that on May 7, 2019 it was issued U.S. Patent No. 10,278,960 entitled "Sphingosine Pathway Modulating Compounds for the Treatment of Cancers" that is directed to methods for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common human liver cancer, using the compound Ozanimod (Press release, Enzo Biochem, MAY 10, 2019, View Source [SID1234536176]).

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Ozanimod is a product of Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) that is in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. It targets a different part of the same cell signaling pathway, the "sphingosine pathway," also targeted by Enzo’s proprietary sphingosine kinase inhibitor, SK1-I, which Enzo is currently developing for the treatment of HCC. The sphingosine pathway is a key cellular signaling pathway implicated in various cancers and functions of the immune system. Enzo has already obtained a number of U.S. and foreign patents covering SK1-I and its use in the treatment of cancers.

Elazar Rabbani, CEO of Enzo stated, "Our findings with Ozanimod provide further validation for targeting the sphingosine pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma and complement our current program to develop Enzo’s proprietary sphingosine kinase inhibitor, SK1-I, for the treatment of HCC. Animal xenotransplantation studies examining the efficacy of each of SK1-I and Ozanimod against tumors derived from human liver cancer cells are currently in progress."

HCC represents more than 90% of primary human liver cancers and a significant unmet medical need in the United States and globally.