Lpath Granted Two Additional U.S. Patents

Lpath, Inc. has received official notification from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that Lpath has been issued two further patents to add to its expanding patent portfolio, which has grown now to 20 issued U.S. patents.

These newly issued patents, US 8,025,877 and US 8,026,342, claim methods and composition of matter for Lpath's anti-Sphingosine-1-Phosphate (S1P) antibody, sonepcizumab, the active component in Lpath's two lead compounds, iSONEP™ and ASONEP™.

These patents cover the amino acid sequences of the light and heavy chains of sonepcizumab, and also have claims for the treatment of cancer, as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.

iSONEP and ASONEP are different formulations of a first-in-class therapeutic antibody developed by Lpath's ImmuneY2™ drug-discovery engine.

Antibodies developed via this discovery engine are designed to target bioactive signaling lipids, such as S1P, that are involved in the proliferation and spread of cancer, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), inflammatory and auto-immune disorders, and many other diseases.

Lpath recently completed two early-stage clinical trials using the two anti-S1P antibody formulations: iSONEP was evaluated in a Phase I trial in wet-AMD subjects and ASONEP was evaluated in a Phase I trial in cancer subjects.

Lpath is now moving forward with two iSONEP Phase 2 trials: the already-initiated PEDigree Study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of iSONEP in patients with RPE Detachment (PED), for which there is no approved drug, and the soon-to-begin Nexus Study will evaluate the safety and efficacy in wet-AMD patients without PED.

Lpath entered into an agreement with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) in 2010 that provides Pfizer an exclusive option for a worldwide license to develop and commercialize iSONEP.

In addition, Lpath plans to initiate next year an ASONEP Phase 2 trial in renal cell carcinoma patients.

According to Roger Sabbadini, Lpath's chief scientific officer and main inventor of the issued patents, "These issued patents further expand Lpath's patent portfolio and thereby provide additional protection for our two lead programs in wet AMD and cancer, as well as cardiovascular-disease indications."