Yes! We have an AVGN patent announcement:
Avigen Receives Patent on High Yield AAV Production for Gene Therapy
PR Newswire, Tuesday, April 22, 1997 at 08:25
ALAMEDA, Calif., April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Avigen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGN), a
biopharmaceutical company developing products based on adeno-associated virus
(AAV) vectors for gene therapy, today announced that it has been granted U.S.
Patent No. 5,622,856, on novel methods for the production of commercially
significant amounts of AAV vectors. The patent covers high yield AAV vector
production which the company believes will provide a significant advantage
over existing technology. Avigen currently plans to use technology related to
this patent to support the filing of Investigational New Drug (IND)
applications in late 1997 for the treatment of brain cancer and hemophilia
patients and subsequent commencement of human clinical trials.
"This will be the first patent to issue from a series of patent
applications filed by Avigen regarding novel approaches for improved AAV
vector production and delivery modalities," said John Monahan, Ph.D.,
president and chief executive officer of the company. "We believe that this
patent will give Avigen a competitive advantage to overcome many of the
limitations related to vector production which have hindered clinical
applications in the gene therapy field." Research by Avigen and others has
suggested that AAV vectors may have broad utility for gene therapy
applications, but developing this technology for therapeutic use has been
hindered by the difficulty of making commercially viable amounts of AAV
vectors.
AAV vectors are produced in cells called "packaging" cells to which
specific DNA "helper sequences", and the gene of interest, have been added.
These helper sequences produce proteins that replicate the gene of interest
and package it into a gene delivery vector with a protein coat. Avigen's
newly issued patent pertains to novel types of DNA helper sequences that
increase vector production. AAV vectors are derived from a non-pathogenic
human virus and are being developed to deliver specific therapeutic genes to
patients suffering from a variety of diseases, such as cancer, hemophilia,
beta-thalassemia, sickle-cell anemia and hyperlipidemia.
Avigen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapy
products derived from adeno-associated virus (AAV) for the treatment of
inherited and acquired diseases. The company's proposed gene therapy products
are designed for in vivo administration to achieve the production of
therapeutic proteins within the body. Avigen is focusing its efforts on
developing products to deliver genes for the treatment of cancer, hematologic
and metabolic diseases.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release
contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
including quarterly fluctuations in results, the timing of preclinical and
clinical trials, technical uncertainty, as well as other risks detailed in the
company's initial public offering prospectus and Securities and Exchange
Commission filings on Forms 10-Q and 10-K.
SOURCE Avigen Inc.
-0- 04/22/97
/CONTACT: Thomas J. Paulson, Chief Financial Officer of Avigen, Inc.,
510-748-7150/ |
