MetP Pharma Receives US Patent for Method to Treat Demyelineating Diseases

Swiss-based specialist pharma R&D company, MetP Pharma, has been granted a Notice of Allowance from the Unites States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its patent titled, “Treatment of Demyelineating Diseases,” according to a Dec. 9, 2019 press release.

The patent, which is valid until 2039, addresses a method to treat demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), and amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among others. The basis for the patent is the discovery of an unexpected positive synergism by combined treatment with a steroid hormone along with a hedgehog signaling pathway modulator that has the ability to promote neural repair through driving remyelination.

It is hoped that through the discovery of the positive synergism, it will be possible for a new regenerative medicine approach to be developed that has the potential of repairing already damaged myelin. This type of approach differs from current ones, which are based on immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory approaches aimed at reducing the occurrence of new demyelinating lesions and that lack efficient regenerative potential.

“Most medications used to treat MS are generally ineffective in progressive forms that are characterized by a chronic demyelination of axons,” said Dr. Claudia Mattern, chief scientific officer at MetP Pharma, in the press release. “This new method can tremendously boost the remyelination of abnormal axons and therefore may help to treat demyelinating diseases with high-unmet need better such as MS and ALS. We are excited to add this highly relevant method to our portfolio of granted patents.”

Source: MetP Pharma