NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BeyondSpring Inc. (NASDAQ: BYSI), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative cancer therapies, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued the Company U.S. Patent No. 10,155,748 related to a new composition of matter of BeyondSpring’s lead asset, Plinabulin.
This composition of matter patent is directed to Plinabulin’s monohydrate in a crystalline form and provides patent protection in the U.S. until 2036. Dr. Lan Huang, CEO and co-founder of BeyondSpring, is a co-inventor of the patent. Counterpart patent applications are pending in 24 other jurisdictions around the world, including Europe, Japan and China.
“Adding yet another vital patent to BeyondSpring’s robust global intellectual property (IP) portfolio enables us to effectively maximize Plinabulin’s commercial potential across therapeutic indications, starting with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) prevention and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, followed by combinations with immunotherapies,” said Dr. Huang. “This new patent provides additional protection for Plinabulin through 2036, further solidifying BeyondSpring’s position as a global leader in innovative drug development across the industry.”
Plinabulin is currently in two Phase 3 global clinical trials for the prevention of CIN and NSCLC treatment.
About Plinabulin
Plinabulin, a marine-derived small-molecule, is BeyondSpring’s lead asset and is currently in late-stage clinical development for the prevention of chemo-induced neutropenia and as an anticancer therapy in non-small cell lung cancer. Studies of Plinabulin’s mechanism of action indicate that Plinabulin activates GEF-H1, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor. GEF-H1 activates downstream transduction pathways leading to the maturation of dendritic cells, which in turn leads to T-cell activation and the up-regulate of IL6 in the tissue micro environment, contributing to the prevention of neutropenia.
About BeyondSpring
BeyondSpring is a global, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative immuno-oncology cancer therapies with a robust pipeline from internal development and from collaboration with the University of Washington in de novo drug discovery using a ubiquitination platform. BeyondSpring’s lead asset, Plinabulin, is in a Phase 3 global clinical trial as a direct anticancer agent in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and two Phase 2/3 clinical programs in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. BeyondSpring has a seasoned management team with many years of experience bringing drugs to the global market.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. Words such as “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “design,” “may,” “future,” “estimate,” “predict,” “objective,” “goal,” or variations thereof and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on BeyondSpring’s current knowledge and its present beliefs and expectations regarding possible future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of several factors including, but not limited to, difficulties raising the anticipated amount needed to finance the Company’s future operations on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all, unexpected results of clinical trials, delays or denial in regulatory approval process, results that do not meet our expectations regarding the potential safety, the ultimate efficacy or clinical utility of our product candidates, increased competition in the market, and other risks described in BeyondSpring’s most recent Form 20-F on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this release and BeyondSpring undertakes no obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as otherwise required by law.
Contact:
Media Relations:
Caitlin Kasunich / Amrita Singh
KCSA Strategic Communications
212.896.1241 / 212.896.1207
ckasunich@kcsa.com / asingh@kcsa.com
Investor Relations:
Laura Perry / Joe Rayne
Argot Partners
212.600.1902
BeyondSpring@argotpartners.com
