Newsletter Patent Portfolio
The Patent Portfolio of Hamlet Pharma AB - Overview and Comments
At the end of 2017, Hamlet Pharma’s patent portfolio comprised more than 40 patents or patent applications. These were pending or in force in the major territories of the world, including USA and Europe as well as some in Canada, Australia and Japan. However, Hamlet Pharma AB are not resting on their laurels, and appreciate the need for an active patenting policy in pursuit of opportunities to obtain protection around the technology as it develops.
This is particularly true in the light of the fact that some of the early patents, based upon the initial findings relating to HAMLET, have, or are about to expire. These early patents covered a basic form of HAMLET and methods for producing it, developed in the 1990s. However, these early forms have been superseded in terms of an optimal pharmaceutical product by recent developments, which are the subject of later ongoing patents and applications discussed further below. Nevertheless, the patent portfolio still includes a number of patents, which would prevent others from using the basic forms of HAMLET and indeed related products such as BAMLET in a particular important therapeutic application - the treatment of papilloma including genital papilloma.
Furthermore, there are existing patent applications relating to the use of the basic forms of HAMLET and BAMLET and related complexes, in the prophylaxis of gastrointestinal cancer or for nutraceutical use. These applications also claim a simplified production method based upon a crude milk extract, which would be precisely the sort of product that would be used in a cost-effective nutraceutical product. The prophylaxis and nutraceutical patent applications can, once granted, remain in force until 2033. These applications are actively in prosecution before the Patent Offices and the grant of one European patent is now imminent.
In terms of drug development, a particularly important patent family within the portfolio covers the use of recombinant forms of alpha-lactalbumin in the production of HAMLET. By using this modified protein, the production methods for recombinant- HAMLET can be significantly enhanced and the product will be of a purer and more consistent quality. Patents in this family have been granted and cover most of Europe, U.S, Japan and Australia whilst patent applications are pending in India and Canada. The patents in this family may remain in force until May 2030.
In addition, Hamlet Pharma AB is particularly pleased to have been granted US and European patents directed to HAMLET-type complexes, which utilise peptides. These complexes have the advantage of being more practical as drug candidates, as they are easier to handle and produce. Thus, these peptides are showing promise as ‘second generation’ forms of HAMLET. The patents in this family are tightly drawn around the peptides and therefore are strong as a result. The patents may remain in force until 2031.
It is believed that these two patent families protect HAMLET Pharma’s future drug production capabilities, for which the older technologies were not entirely suitable.
Two new applications relating to new active complexes derived from different peptides have been filed in the last 18 months. In addition, these cases cover a new and enhanced method of production – in particular of peptide complexes –. The first entered international phase in December 2017 and the latter expects to enter international phase in May 2018.
Hamlet Pharma AB continues to work closely with our international patent attorney, whose strategic insights ensure that we continue to file patent applications to protect the technology going forward and to ensure that Hamlet Pharma AB maintain a strong IP position in the field.
For more information, please contact
Catharina Svanborg, Chairman of the board, Hamlet Pharma, +46-709 42 65 49
catharina.svanborg@med.lu.se
Mats Persson, CEO Hamlet Pharma, +46 705 17 67 57
mats.persson@hamletpharma.com
Hamlet Pharma company listed on AktieTorget, is a company engaged in drug development based on a tumoricidal protein-lipid complex, HAMLET, formed by two natural and harmless molecules found in breast milk. The development aims to develop drugs that primarily will be used for the treatment and prevention of cancer. HAMLET effectively kills tumor cells but have also proven to be safe in the proof-of-concept studies done on humans. The substance has demonstrated therapeutic effect on skin papillomas in a placebo-controlled clinical trial and causes shedding of dead cancer cells by injection into the bladder in patients with bladder cancer. Hamlet Pharma intends to initiate a phase II study with Alpha1H in patients with bladder cancer, a difficult and costly cancer form. HAMLET is a registered trademark of Hamlet Pharma.