MENLO PARK, Calif., March 27, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STATegics, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a second patent for its small molecule thrombopoietin mimetic compounds. The patent, U.S. 8,143,287, is a continuation of STATegics' granted U.S. Patent No. 7,786,159, which issued on August 31st, 2010. The new patent expands STATegics's intellectual property coverage relating to thrombopoietin mimetic compounds and uses thereof.
"We are very excited by the progress in securing the intellectual property for our thrombopoietin mimetics. These patents cover a broad range of compounds, including our lead STS-T4, which demonstrates encouraging improvements over alternative treatments for thrombocytopenia," commented Jeffrey R. Spencer, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Co-Founder at STATegics. "This second issued patent provides us a strong and valid protection for the thrombopoietin mimetics. These patents, combined with excellent results from our erythropoietin mimetic program in preclinical studies, provide significant positive support for STATegics' pipeline," said Juha Punnonen, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder at STATegics.
About Thrombopoietin and STS-T4
Thrombopoietin is a cytokine that increases the production of platelets, which are one of the components of blood that turn on the coagulation process. STATegics thrombopoietin mimetics, including lead compound STS-T4, are orally available small molecules designed to bind to an allosteric binding site of thrombopoietin receptor. Allosteric sites are different and physically separate from the binding sites of the endogenous cytokines and, therefore, STS-T4 can either work alone or in combination with endogenous thrombopoietin. STS-T4 induces proliferation of human hematopoietic progenitor cells and directs their differentiation into megakaryocytes that are responsible for platelet production. STS-T4 is a water soluble compound and has demonstrated a promising potency and safety profile in preclinical studies. STS-T4 has the potential to become the preferred therapy for the treatment of low platelet levels and other diseases where thrombopoietin receptor activation is desired.
About STATegics, Inc.
STATegics, Inc. is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company in Menlo Park, CA, committed to the discovery and development of orally available small molecule modulators of cytokine receptors. The company's lead programs are focused on small molecule mimetics of erythropoietin and thrombopoietin for the treatment of central nervous system diseases and thrombocytopenia, respectively. The lead indication for the erythropoietin mimetics is Friedreich's ataxia, an orphan disease with no treatments currently available. Preclinical studies performed by STATegics and its collaborators have indicated superior properties of the lead compounds when compared to alternative approaches. STATegics is also developing screening technologies for efficient and rapid identification of small molecules targeting allosteric sites of cytokine receptors. STATegics' programs have been supported by grants from the Department of Defense, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the U.S. Government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project program. For more information, visit http://www.stategics.com.
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STATegics, Inc. Announces Issuance of a Second Patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for Small Molecule ...