On May 24, 2023 vTv Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: VTVT), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of an adjunctive therapy to insulin for the treatment of type 1 diabetes ("T1D"), reported that the United States Patent and Trademark Office recently issued a patent to Cantex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that covers claims related to the use of azeliragon as a potential treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (Press release, vTv Therapeutics, MAY 24, 2023, View Source [SID1234632014]). Azeliragon is a small molecule inhibitor of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) discovered by vTv and licensed to Cantex Pharmaceuticals. Cantex has ongoing azeliragon clinical trials in metastatic pancreatic cancer, neoadjuvant therapy of breast cancer, and hospitalized COVID patients to prevent acute kidney injury, and will soon initiate FDA-approved clinical trials of azeliragon in newly diagnosed glioblastoma, and in brain metastases in combination with stereotactic radiosurgery. Earlier this year, Cantex received Food and Drug Administration Orphan Drug Designation for azeliragon for the treatment of glioblastoma.
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On June 22, 2021, vTv and Cantex entered into a licensing agreement under which Cantex obtained exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize azeliragon. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will allocate downstream profits under a tiered arrangement if successfully developed and launched.
Prior to the Cantex agreement, vTv was developing azeliragon for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Through these efforts, vTv generated a significant body of clinical data supporting the safety and tolerability profile of azeliragon. Evidence suggests that RAGE—ligand interactions play a vital role in cancer, as well as in a range of inflammatory diseases.
"We would like to congratulate Cantex on receipt of this important addition to the azeliragon patent estate covering its use as a potential therapy for GBM. Coupled with the Orphan Drug Designation granted for this indication in early 2023, Cantex is building robust protections around this novel small molecule RAGE inhibitor, aimed at maximizing the commercial opportunities for azeliragon should its clinical development be successful," said Paul Sekhri, President and Chief Executive Officer of vTv Therapeutics. "We will be closely following the ongoing GBM study as well as Cantex’s development efforts in other indications where RAGE is implicated."
About Azeliragon
Azeliragon is an orally administered small molecule, taken once daily, that inhibits interactions of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (known as RAGE) with certain ligands, including HMGB1 and S100 proteins in the glioblastoma microenvironment. By preventing interaction of RAGE with these ligands, azeliragon may inhibit glioblastoma and overcome its resistance to effective treatment. Azeliragon was originally under development for Alzheimer’s disease by vTv Therapeutics from whom Cantex licensed it. Clinical safety data from these trials, involving more than 2000 individuals dosed for periods up to 18 months, indicate that azeliragon is very well tolerated. Cantex is also developing azeliragon for the treatment of brain metastasis, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer. In addition, a phase 2/3 trial is currently enrolling hospitalized COVID-19 patients, evaluating the efficacy of azeliragon in the prevention of acute kidney injury.