US patent grant extends Immutep’s efti combination protection to 2038
Immutep (ASX: IMM) has been granted US patent number 12,788,796, entitled “Combined Preparations for the Treatment of Cancer or Infection”, by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It is the fifth US patent in this family, with an expiry date of 23 March 2038 (including 806 days of patent term adjustment).
The claims are directed to combined preparations and pharmaceutical compositions comprising eftilagimod alfa (“efti”) and a PD-1 pathway inhibitor.
What the patent covers
The claims encompass combinations of efti with the following PD-1 pathway inhibitors:
- BMS-936559
- durvalumab
- atezolizumab
- avelumab
PD-1 pathway inhibitors are described by the company as a key class of immunotherapies used in modern cancer treatment. The new patent builds on the four previously granted US patents and further expands Immutep’s patent portfolio covering efti-based combination therapies.
Clinical support for the PD-1 combination approach includes INSIGHT-003 survival data in first-line non-squamous NSCLC, where median overall survival reached 30.9 months against a 22.0-month historical benchmark.
The US patents in this family were granted in the following sequence:
- December 2020
- March 2021
- June 2023
- July 2026
- 11 November 2026, the latest grant
Immutep has also filed a continuation application to pursue additional embodiments of the invention.
CEO view on efti’s patent portfolio
Marc Voigt, CEO of Immutep, said the grant strengthens intellectual property protection around efti.
Marc Voigt, CEO of Immutep
“We are pleased to receive this latest US patent grant, which further strengthens the intellectual property protection surrounding efti. As we pursue our focused development strategy for efti, a good patent portfolio remains an important strategic asset, supporting future development and partnering opportunities…”
Efti has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in first-line head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and first-line non-small cell lung cancer, and Orphan Drug Designation in soft tissue sarcoma.
Investors exploring how regulatory status layers onto patent life can read our full explainer on efti’s Orphan Drug Designation, which sets out the seven-year exclusivity period, the tax credit and fee exemptions, and the Phase II data behind the sarcoma award.
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