Full Press Release Details
Granted US Patent for NASH Treatment
Australia, November 14, 2017: Immuron Limited (ASX:IMC) (NASDAQ:IMRN), an Australian microbiome biopharmaceutical company
focused on developing and commercialising oral immunotherapeutics for the treatment of gut-mediated diseases, is today pleased
to announced that a Notice of Allowance has been received from the United States Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO) for Immuron's
new patent application (U.S Application No. 13/817,414), entitled "Anti-LPS Enriched Immunoglobulin for Use in treatment
and/or Prophylaxis of a Pathological Disorder."
patent comprises of a total of ten allowed claims, and is principally directed to a method of treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
(NASH) with a colostrum-based composition, as developed by Immuron. The market for NASH treatment has come under increased focus,
as companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer have referenced efforts to bolster their product development in the sector.
According to Reuters, the NASH market is "forecast to be $20 billion to $35 billion as populations with fatty diets increasingly
fall victim to a condition with no approved treatments," further illustrating why the pharmaceutical industry refers
to the race to commercialize technology in this sector as "The Dash to NASH."
new patent is a key milestone for Immuron as it further establishes the intellectual property position of our NASH program in
the United States and complements the patents already granted in Australia," said Jerry Kanellos, Interim CEO of Immuron
Ltd. "We believe this success paves the way for patent grants in other key jurisdictions, strengthening Immuron's
presence in the global NASH treatment market."
| COMPANY CONTACT: Jerry Kanellos Chief Executive Officer (Interim) Ph: +61 (0)3 9824 5254 jerrykanellos@immuron.com | AUS INVESTOR RELATIONS: Peter Taylor NWR Communications Ph: +61 (0)4 1203 6231 peter@nwrcommunications.com.au | |
| USA MEDIA CONTACT: Kate Caruso-Sharpe FischTank Marketing and PR US Ph: + 1 646 699 1414 kate@fischtankpr.com | USA INVESTOR RELATIONS: Jon Cunningham RedChip Companies, Inc. US Ph: +1 (407) 644 4256, (ext. 107) jon@redchip.com |
Ltd (ASX: IMC) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising oral immunotherapeutics for the treatment
of many gut mediated diseases. Immuron has a unique and safe technology platform that enables a shorter development therapeutic
cycle. The Company currently markets and sells Travelan for the prevention of travellers' diarrhea whilst its lead
product candidate IMM-124E is in Phase 2 clinical trials for NASH and ASH. These products together with the Company's other
preclinical immunotherapy pipeline products targeting immune-related diseases currently under development, will meet a large unmet
need in the market. For more information visit: http://www.immuron.com
IMM-124E study is a Phase 2 proof of concept multinational, randomized, double-blind study comparing 2 doses IMM-124E to placebo
for the treatment of NASH in adults with any stage biopsy-proven NASH. The trial enrolled 133 patients and is still on going.
The primary endpoint is the improvement of liver steatosis as assessed by MRI comparing the mean values), as measured at the 24
weeks' time point. The key secondary endpoints are: change in ALT as well as other liver enzymes and metabolic markers.
enrolled adults with all-stage biopsy proven NASH up to 12 months of randomization.
is an oral, three-times-daily, non-absorbable compound containing poly-clonal anti-LPS immunoglobulins proposed to interact with
the gut LPS and immune system to achieve an immunomodulatory effect reducing LPS-related inflammation and inducing tolerance.
Because of this unique mechanism of action, targeting multiple pathways, IMM-124E has the potential to play a differentiated role
in the management of NASH and may form the cornerstone of NASH combination treatment strategies, both as a single agent and in
combination with other agents.
addition to the adult NASH study, IMM-124E is also being evaluated in the pediatric population in a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study
of IMM-124E in children with Pediatric NAFLD.
Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
is a severe type of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is characterized by the accumulation of fat in the liver
with no other apparent causes. NASH occurs when the accumulation of liver fat is accompanied by inflammation and cellular damage.
The inflammation can lead to fibrosis (scarring) of the liver and eventually progress to cirrhosis, portal hypertension, liver
cancer, and eventual liver failure.
is an emerging health crisis impacting 3% to 5% of the U.S. population and 2% to 4% globally, and is the fastest growing cause
of liver cancer and liver transplant in the U.S. The increasing prevalence of NASH is attributed to the growing obesity epidemic
and the disease is often diagnosed in patients who have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides. There is currently no
approved treatment for NASH.
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