On May 14, 2020 Cellectar Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLRB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of cancer, reported that the European Patent Office has granted patent number EP 2440253 titled "Ether and Alkyl Phospholipid Compounds for Treating Cancer and Imaging and Detection of Cancer Stem Cells (Press release, Cellectar Biosciences, MAY 14, 2020, View Source [SID1234558027])." The patent provides composition of matter and use protection for the treatment and/or diagnosis of cancer and cancer stem cells for the company’s Phase 2 lead asset CLR 131 and the proprietary PLE analogs combined with I-125 (CLR 125).
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"Few drugs have shown the capacity to target and effectively treat highly resistant cancer stem cells. We believe CLR 131’s demonstrated ability to kill both conventional cancer cells as well as difficult-to-treat cancer stem cells is a unique treatment benefit of this drug", stated Jim Caruso CEO & president of Cellectar Biosciences. "Importantly, this patent provides additional long-term protection for our lead compound CLR 131 in the second largest global market and represents an important expansion of our intellectual property protections for our portfolio of targeted oncology product candidates."
About Phospholipid Drug Conjugates
Cellectar’s product candidates are built upon a patented delivery platform that utilizes optimized phospholipid ether-drug conjugates (PDCs) to target cancer cells. The PDC platform selectively delivers diverse oncologic payloads to cancerous cells and cancer stem cells, including hematologic cancers and solid tumors. This selective delivery allows the payloads’ concentration within tumor cells to be increased while reducing the concentration in normal tissue, which may enhance drug potency while reducing adverse events. This platform takes advantage of a metabolic pathway utilized by all tumor cell types. Compared with other targeted delivery platforms, the PDC platform’s mechanism of entry does not rely upon specific cell surface epitopes or antigens which can be modified or removed by tumor cells resulting in resistance to the treatment. In addition, PDCs can be conjugated to molecules in numerous ways, thereby increasing the types or classes of molecules that can be selectively delivered. Cellectar believes the PDC platform holds potential for the discovery and development of the next generation of cancer-targeting agents.
About CLR 131
CLR 131 is a small-molecule Phospholipid Drug Conjugate designed to provide targeted delivery of iodine-131 (radioisotope) directly to cancer cells, while limiting exposure to healthy cells unlike many traditional on-market treatment options. CLR 131 is the company’s lead product candidate and is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study in B-cell lymphomas, and a Phase 1 dose-escalating clinical study in pediatric solid tumors and lymphomas. The company recently completed a Phase 1 dose-escalation clinical study in r/r multiple myeloma. The FDA granted CLR 131 Fast Track Designation for both r/r multiple myeloma and r/r diffuse large b-cell lymphoma and Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for the treatment of multiple myeloma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma and osteosarcoma. CLR 131 was also granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designations for the treatment of neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma and osteosarcoma. Most recently, the European Commission granted an ODD for r/r multiple myeloma.