Prolor Biotech Receives Patents for Longer-Acting hGH and EPO

Prolor Biotech, Inc. (Nes-Ziona, Israel), formerly Modigene, Inc., has been issued two new patents from the US Patent and Trademark Office for the company’s long-acting CTP-enhanced human growth hormone (hGH-CTP) and human erythropoietin (EPO-CTP). The patents cover the composition of Prolor’s proprietary pharmaceutical compounds and certain associated methods.

Prolor’s CTP technology is based on a short amino acid sequence, the carboxyl terminal peptide that occurs naturally in humans. When attached to a therapeutic protein, CTP extends the time that the protein is active in the body.

The potential use of the CTP technology has been demonstrated by Schering-Plough, which is developing the technology for fertility applications only. Data from its Phase 3 Engage trial demonstrated that women receiving a single injection of the fertility drug FSH-CTP achieved the same pregnancy rates as women receiving seven consecutive daily injections of commercial FSH. This 1,509 patient trial, which was the largest double-blind fertility trial ever conducted, formed the basis for a marketing authorization application by Schering-Plough that is under review by the European Medicines Agency.

Prolor is using the same CTP technology to extend the duration of action of other therapeutic proteins. CTP was discovered at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, which has exclusively licensed rights for the use of CTP with all therapeutic proteins to Prolor, with the exception of four endocrine hormones licensed to Schering-Plough. Prolor plans to initiate human clinical trials with hGH-CTP, its longer-acting version of hGH, later this year.