Immunomedics Develops Novel Antibody-Based Products for Autoimmune Disease & Cancer Therapy

Immunomedics, Inc. recently announced that the issuance of US Patent No. 9,278,129 for the company’s new patent family Methods of Treating Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis Using Chimeric and Humanized Anti-Histone Antibodies, which will expire in February 2034.

This new patent concerns methods of use of the company’s proprietary anti-histone antibody. This antibody has potential use in a variety of autoimmune, septic, and inflammatory diseases. The issued claims cover use in rapidly progressing glomerulonephritis, a kidney autoimmune disease that is rapidly fatal if left untreated.

Histones are important proteins that function as structure components of chromatin. Besides having nuclear functions, histones can also be released into circulation by both damaged and activated cells. Recent studies have indicated that circulating histones play a crucial role in sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, thus suggesting that histones could serve as promising therapeutic targets for infectious and inflammatory disorders.

Earlier this month, two additional U.S. patents were issued to the company. Patent No. 9,272,029 relates to the company’s new patent family Interferon-Lambda Antibody Complexes, which was assigned to IBC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the company’s majority-owned subsidiary, and has an expiration date of April 8, 2030.

This patent concerns methods and compositions for creating antibody complexes of interferon-lambdas (IFN-λs) using the company’s proprietary DOCK-AND-LOCK protein conjugation platform technology. IFN-λs are a group of cytokines that, in animal models, induce both tumor cell death and destruction through innate and adaptive immune responses, suggesting that local delivery of the cytokine might be an adjunctive strategy in the treatment of human malignancies.

The other patent, No. 9,272,057, relates to additional claims under the patent family Combining Radioimmunotherapy and Antibody-drug Conjugates (ADCs) for Improved Cancer Therapy. This new patent concerns compositions and methods of treating pancreatic cancer using radiolabeled antibodies combined with ADCs. The allowed claims cover sacituzumab govitecan (IMMU-132), the company’s lead ADC that has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the US FDA for the treatment of patients with triple-negative breast cancer who have failed at least 2 prior therapies for metastatic disease, and clivatuzumab tetraxetan, which is being evaluated in a Phase III (PANCRIT-1) registration trial as a radiolabeled antibody in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

“These new patents are the results of our continuing innovative efforts to develop new agents and treatment regimens to improve the management of patients with cancer, autoimmune diseases, and other serious diseases,” commented Cynthia L. Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We believe that they enhance our commercial assets and rich pipeline.”

Immunomedics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing monoclonal antibody-based products for the targeted treatment of cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other serious diseases. Immunomedics’ advanced proprietary technologies allow the company to create humanized antibodies that can be used either alone in unlabeled or “naked” form, or conjugated with radioactive isotopes, chemotherapeutics, cytokines, or toxins. Using these technologies, Immunomedics has built a pipeline of nine clinical-stage product candidates. For more information, visit www.immunomedics.com.