On September 21, 2021 Scopus BioPharma Inc. (Nasdaq: "SCPS"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing transformational therapeutics for serious diseases with significant unmet medical need, reported that the China National Intellectual Property Administration has granted a new patent covering DUET-02, one of three key CpG-STAT3 inhibitors comprising the Duet Platform (Press release, Scopus BioPharma, SEP 21, 2021, View Source [SID1234590056]).
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The new patent covers the compound and composition, including phosphorothioated oligodeoxynucleotide, and methods of use for CpG-STAT3ASO, Duet’s CpG-STAT3 Antisense inhibitor.
Alan Horsager, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Duet and President — Immuno-Oncology for Scopus, stated, "This is an important milestone for Duet Therapeutics as we continue to build our patent portfolio. The Chinese biotech market is an important and integral part of the global biotech industry. As referenced in a September 2021 Reuters article, the combined market value of Chinese biotech firms listed in Hong Kong, on Shanghai’s STAR board, and on Nasdaq had a combined value of approximately $180 billion as of May 2021, compared to just $1 billion in 2016. This rapid growth has been driven by an increasing number of Chinese biotechs raising significant amounts of capital in IPOs over the last several years."
Dr. Horsager added, "Duet continues to receive inbound inquiries regarding the Duet Platform from interested companies in Asia, including China. We believe China, as well as Asia more broadly, will be a key market for immuno-oncology therapeutics. The new patent positions Duet Therapeutics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scopus, to pursue opportunities arising from China’s burgeoning biotech market."
The new patent strengthens the patent portfolio for DUET-02. DUET-02 is also covered by a granted patent in the United States. Additionally, patent applications for DUET-02 are in process for the European Union, Canada, and Japan.
The patent granted in China, entitled "Compounds and Compositions Including Phosphorothioated Oligodeoxynucleotide, and Methods of Use Thereof," relates to the isolated compound, including a phosphorothioated oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) sequence conjugated to an antisense oligonucleotide sequence (ASO), compositions of such a compound, and method of treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases (with or without stimulating immune response), method of immune stimulation, and method of reducing activity of STAT transcription factor, by one of the disclosed compounds or compositions.
About the Duet Platform
Duet Therapeutics integrates the immunotherapy assets of Scopus and Olimmune, creating the Duet Platform. Olimmune was acquired by Scopus in June 2021. Duet is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scopus.
The Duet Platform is comprised of three distinctive, complementary CpG-STAT3 inhibitors:
• RNA silencing CpG-STAT3siRNA ("DUET-01")
• Antisense CpG-STAT3ASO ("DUET-02")
• DNA-binding inhibitor CpG-STAT3decoy ("DUET-03")
DUET-01 is in a Phase 1 clinical trial, as a monotherapy, for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Duet expects to file two INDs for DUET-02 in Q4 2022 in genitourinary and head & neck cancers, with Phase 1 clinical trials beginning in Q1 2023 in the United States. Duet is also evaluating combination therapies with checkpoint inhibitors.