Techniclone Corporation Receives U.S. Patent for Vascular Targeting Agent Technology

Techniclone Corporation, a developer of unique therapeutics for cancer treatment, announced the issuance of a U.S. patent for a portion of its Vascular Targeting Agent Technology on July 7. The patent, US 5,776,427, covers methods and compositions for targeting the vasculature of solid tumors. This breakthrough technology has the potential to kill tumors by causing blood clots to form in the tumor, providing a new approach in cancer treatment.

Key Takeaways:

• Techniclone Corporation has been granted a U.S. patent (US 5,776,427) for a portion of its Vascular Targeting Agent Technology, a breakthrough in cancer treatment.
• The VTA technology targets the vasculature of solid tumors, causing blood clots to form and ultimately killing the tumor.
• Preclinical studies have shown that VTAs can produce clots in the tumor vasculature, causing tumor cells to die within hours and large tumor masses to disintegrate within days.
• The patent enhances Techniclone's position as a leader in the VTA area, with several therapeutic candidates being evaluated for advancement to clinical trial status.
• Dr. Philip Thorpe's research on VEGF and VTA technology was published in May's Cancer Research, providing evidence of the effectiveness of this approach.
• Dr. John Bonfiglio stated that the issuance of these patents positions the company for future licensing transactions and maintains its dominant position in the field of vascular targeting.

Statistics:

• The patent (US 5,776,427) was issued on July 7.
• The patent covers methods and compositions for targeting the vasculature of solid tumors.
• Preclinical studies have shown that VTAs can produce clots in the tumor vasculature within hours of administration, causing tumor cells to die and large tumors to disintegrate within days.
• Techniclone Corporation has been engaged in the research and development of unique therapeutics for cancer treatment for over 10 years.

Sources:

• Techniclone Corporation's press release dated August 3, 1998
• Cancer Research article published in May
• The report on Form 10K for the year ended April 30, 1998.