VANCOUVER, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$METX–ME Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (“ME Therapeutics” or the “Company”) (CSE: METX) (FSE: Q9T), a publicly listed biotechnology company working on novel cancer fighting drugs in the field of immuno-oncology, is pleased to announce its subsidiary, ME Therapeutics Inc., has secured a U.S. patent for its lead G-CSF antibody candidate, as it continues to advance its broader drug development and discovery programs for cancer.
“We are pleased with the business and scientific progress we have made across our pipeline as we work towards bringing novel immuno-oncology drugs to patients worldwide who today have limited treatment options,” said Salim Dhanji, CEO of ME Therapeutics. “This quarter we reached several key milestones for our lead G-CSF antibody candidate that keep us on our pathway to the clinic, including securing a U.S. patent and moving forward cell line development in preparation for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). We also continued to progress our therapeutic mRNA and in vivo CAR programs through preclinical testing and discovery research.”
U.S. patent received
ME Therapeutics has received US Patent No. 12,421,308 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its G-CSF antibody candidate. The patent protects the amino acid sequence of the antibody candidate and its therapeutic use for cancer treatment in the United States. The antibody candidate, also known as H1B11-12, is a humanized biological drug formulated to target and block G-CSF, a glycoprotein cytokine known to drive immune suppression in the tumour microenvironment.
The U.S. patent marks the second international patent ME Therapeutics has received for the G-CSF antibody candidate. In 2023, ME Therapeutics also received a patent from the China National Intellectual Property Administration.
Other highlights:
- Antibody candidate cell line development: To support clinical trial regulatory meetings, ME Therapeutics is progressing cell line development to meet Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards. Work at the contract research organization has identified candidate cell lines demonstrating robust antibody production and stability. Next steps will involve continued testing of the antibody characteristics prior to choosing a lead clone for the development of a GMP master cell bank.
- Therapeutic mRNA candidates preclinical testing: The Company’s therapeutic mRNA program is advancing through preclinical testing, with the lead therapeutic mRNA candidate tested in vivo. To date, results show the lead therapeutic mRNA candidate leads to immune cell recruitment into the tumour microenvironment (TME). ME Therapeutics now intends to initiate a study to test the lead candidate in a mouse colon cancer model, both alone and in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Meanwhile, their second therapeutic mRNA candidate has demonstrated strong T cell activation in vitro. This candidate will continue to be advanced through further in vitro testing.
- In vivo CAR program discovery: ME Therapeutics is also progressing its in vivo CAR program through the discovery stage. This next-generation approach delivers genetic instructions directly into a patient’s body to reprogram cells within the TME. The Company has confirmed in vitro activity of its tumour-targeted CARs and plans to conduct further in vitro testing before exploring in vivo testing.
- Expanded research team: ME Therapeutics continues to grow its research and development capabilities with the addition of two new associate research scientists. This positions the company to move its lead antibody candidate towards clinical trials as well as accelerate progress for its broader drug development and discovery programs.
About ME Therapeutics
Myeloid Enhancement (ME) Therapeutics is a publicly listed biotechnology company based in Vancouver focused on developing novel immuno-oncology therapeutics. Our pipeline is aimed at enhancing immune recognition of cancer cells and overcoming immune suppression in the tumour microenvironment. For more information, visit metherapeutics.com.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor any Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes certain “forward-looking statements” under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s patent protection, research plans, the intended outcomes of the research, the intended benefits and applications of the Company’s technology, the Company’s plans for development of its business, plans for potential first-in-human clinical trials, opportunities to explore earlier stage drug discovery and to enhance the Company’s drug pipeline, its reliance on third-party collaborators, and regarding potential in-licensing and partnership opportunities. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including risks related to factors beyond the control of the Company, that the results of the testing are not favorable or consistent with results to date, G-CSF proves to be an unsuitable target to treat cancer, that the Company’s mRNA or in vivo CAR candidates prove ineffective during testing, that the Company’s business may not develop as set out in this news release, that the Company does not proceed with human clinical trials or that the results of such trials, if any, are not favorable, that the Company does not acquire the necessary regulatory approvals, that the Company does not complete any licensing or partnership agreements or that if such agreements are completed that the terms may not be favorable to the Company, that the Company does not have sufficient funds to advance its business plan, and such other risks described in the Company’s public disclosure and risks which are inherent to businesses of this nature. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ from forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Contacts
Company: Salim Dhanji, PhD, salim@metherapeutics.com, +1-236-516-7714
Media: Claire Piech, claire@magneticcomms.com, +1-604-698-6637