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AVONTEC obtains US patent on its drug candidate AVT-01 decoy ODN

04 Feb 2008 - AVONTEC GmbH announced that the US Patent and Trademark office has granted a patent that protects its lead drug candidate AVT-01 decoy oligonucleotide (AVT-01 decoy ODN). AVONTEC is developing AVT-01 decoy ODN for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases and is currently testing this drug candidate in patients in phase IIa clinical trials in asthma and inflammatory skin diseases.
 
Patent no. US 7.320.964 comprises the compound AVT-01 decoy ODN and its pharmaceutical use. Patents protecting the compound AVT-01 decoy ODN and its medical use have already been granted in Germany, Australia, China and Russia and are pending in 16 EP countries and 10 PCT member states including Japan, Canada and India.
 
AVT-01 decoy ODN contains a short, double-stranded oligonucleotide "decoy" that effectively inhibits STAT-1, a transcription factor shown to be strongly involved in the regulation of chronic inflammation. AVT-01 decoy ODN reduced inflammation in numerous pharmacological animal models. In pilot clinical studies this drug candidate showed an excellent safety profile and had demonstrable effects on relevant endpoints. Single doses of AVT-01 decoy ODN attenuated bronchial hyperresponsiveness in humans in a pilot clinical trial in asthmatic patients.