Alterity Therapeutics Given European Composition of Matter Patent for Neurodegenerative Diseases

On Aug. 23, 2023, Alterity Therapeutics, a biologics company focusing on developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, announced that the European Patent Office granted the company a new composition of matter patent. The patent safeguards a new class of iron chaperone drug candidates that treat major neurodegenerative diseases. According to the company, excess iron in the brain is well documented to be implicated in the pathology of critical neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

The patent, “Compounds for Methods of Treating Diseases,” Patent No. 3938364, is effective Aug. 23, 2023, when it is published in the European Patent Bulletin. It covers more than 150 novel pharmaceutical compositions created to redistribute excess iron implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. The patent grants Alterity 20 years of exclusivity over the compounds claimed in the patent, allowing the company further development and commercialization opportunities.

Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to atrophy, is the most common cause of dementia, affecting between 60% and 70% of the 50 million dementia patients worldwide. While there are medications to slow the disease, there is currently no cure. Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that causes uncontrollable body movement and neuropsychiatric symptoms, is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world, affecting more than 10 million people worldwide.

“The granting of this patent is an important component of our strategy to become a leader in the development of drugs that target critical neurodegenerative diseases,” said David Stamler, M.D., chief executive officer of Alterity, in an Alterity press release. “Through restoration of normal iron balance in the brain, we have the potential to slow disease progression of diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. This patent helps protect our approach and expands our portfolio as we look to develop novel disease modifying treatments for these debilitating conditions.”

Source: Alterity Therapeutics