Silence Therapeutics PLC (LON:SLN) has filed for more patent protection for its RNA therapeutics/gene silencing technology and intends to seek payment for a number of drugs already in late-stage development.
“We believe this patented technology is relevant to third party medicines in ongoing clinical trials for conditions including, but not exclusively limited to, Hypercholesterolemia, TTR-mediated Amyloidosis, Haemophilia and Acute Hepatic Porphyrias.”
Quark Pharmaceuticals has a royalty and milestone licence and in conjunction with Novartis is running a phase II and Phase III trial using its chemical modification technology.
Silence though says the licence to Quark was granted at a pre-clinical stage in 2005, whereas the other medicines are in late-stage clinical development.
WATCH: CEO Ali Mortazavi on plans to seek further drug payments
Ali Mortazavi, chief executive, added “We believe that several third party late-stage clinical RNAi candidates, including lipid nanoparticle and GalNAc based products, require licences under our patent portfolio.
“The first launch for these medicines is anticipated in 2018. We consider that potential licences under our patent estate could have a significant financial effect relative to the current market capitalisation of Silence."
First results from Quark’s phase II trial are scheduled for the second half of this year with the phase III trial, which is concurrent but separate, ongoing.
In March, Silence was awarded a patent for its technology in Europe but has now applied for this to be extended through additional divisional and continuation patent applications here and in the US.
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