Press Release Feb 22, 2000:
newswire.ca
AEterna awarded three key U.S. patents
QUEBEC (Quebec), February 22 /CNW/ - AEterna Laboratories Inc. (TSE: AEL)
announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued
three key patents protecting the Company's lead compound AE-941/Neovastat.
These patents broaden the claims that are covered in AEterna's patent
(Patent 5,618,925) which protects the process by which AE-941/Neovastat is
produced. The new patents issued protect AE-941/Neovastat in three ways: the
product itself; the process to prepare the product; as well as medical uses of
the product in several therapeutic areas. These uses include the
administration of AE-941/Neovastat as a product having antiangiogenic and
antitumoral activities as well as methods to use products derived from
cartilage to inhibit angiogenesis, inflammation and collagenolytic activity
associated with cancer and dermatological disorders.
''AEterna's patent portfolio now includes four patents issued in the
United States and three more pending,'' commented Yves Rosconi, Senior Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer of AEterna. ''These patents, which have
also been filed in many countries in order to obtain worldwide protection,
cover a range of processes, products, and uses. They considerably strengthen
our intellectual property position and further protect our drug in
development. These new patents place AEterna in a good position for
negotiating
strategic alliances with multinational pharmaceuticals,'' said Yves Rosconi.
The three recently issued patents are continuations in part of Patent
5,618,925 which claims a process for the preparation of AE-941/Neovastat.
Patent 5,985,839 covers principally AE-941/Neovastat and its use for treating
diseases that are related to angiogenesis. Patent 6,025,334 covers a new
process of preparation of topical formulations, not only for the treatment of
diseases that are related to angiogenesis, but also for the treatment of
inflammatory diseases. The third Patent 6,028,118 claims methods for treating
skin disorders by topical application.
About AE-941/Neovastat
AE-941/Neovastat is a novel orally bioavailable antiangiogenic product
with multiple mechanisms of action that block angiogenesis, the formation of
new blood vessels - a necessary element in the development of cancer and other
medical disorders. AE-941/Neovastat's proposed method of action includes the
inhibition of the enzyme matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), as well as
interaction with the VEGF receptor sites to prevent the reception of
angiogenic signals from cancerous cells. Preclinical and clinical data suggest
that AE-941/Neovastat has an effect on diseases that are dependent on
angiogenesis. These data have also demonstrated an excellent safety profile in
the treatment of targeted diseases such as cancer, psoriasis and age-related
macular degeneration. AE-941/Neovastat has already been given to more than 540
patients with various diseases. Some have taken the treatment for as long as
three years. Furthermore, AE-941/Neovastat treatment is entering two Phase III
trials in the first quarter of this year for the treatment of lung cancer and
kidney cancer.
About AEterna
AEterna Laboratories Inc. is a Canadian biopharmaceutical company focused
on the development of new therapies to treat a variety of conditions,
principally cancer. AEterna's lead compound, AE-941/Neovastat, is an
angiogenesis inhibitor being investigated in three major therapeutic areas:
oncology, dermatology and ophthalmology. The company also owns 77.8% of Atrium
Biotechnologies Inc., a leader in the development of active ingredients used
in cosmetics and nutrition products.
AEterna is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AEL.
AEterna's news releases and additional information are available on its
Web site at www.aeterna.com.
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For further information: Janet Craig, Director of Corporate
Communications and Investor Relations, Direct: (416) 229-4075, Bus: (418)
652-8525, Fax: (418) 652-0881, E-mail: janetacraig@home.com
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