ImVisioN GmbH obtains an exclusive license from MannKind Corporation to patents covering the intralymphatic administration of allergens
Press Release Hanover, Germany, May 3, 2006
ImVisioN GmbH today announced that MannKind Corporation has granted to ImVisioN an exclusive world-wide license to the US Patent 6,773,695 B2 and its foreign counterparts. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
The US Patent 6,773,695 claims a method of desensitising allergic patients to an allergen where the allergen is directly administered into the lymph node. By applying this innovative route of administration fewer and lower allergen doses are required to efficiently modulate the immune response of the patient resulting in a significant reduction of allergic adverse effects during specific immunotherapy. This method allows for the development of safer and more effective immunotherapeutics for the causal treatment of allergies.
"With the exclusive access to this technology, ImVisioN is now in a strong position to develop novel immunotherapeutics to treat allergies based on our proprietary MAT (Modular-Antigen-Transporter) technology for intralymphatic administration. Currently most allergen specific immunotherapies require 30 to 80 subcutaneous injections over a period of two to five years. Our novel immunotherapy is expected to have a significantly improved safety profile and require only three intralymphatic injections over a period of one to two months," commented Dr. Martin Steiner, CEO of ImVisioN GmbH. "We believe that our intralymphatic MAT-based therapy will provide a safe, effective and convenient treatment option for the allergic patient, which will result in higher compliance and higher general acceptance of allergen immunotherapy," he continued. ImVisioN is currently developing a product to treat cat dander allergy that is expected to enter clinical studies in allergic patients later this year. In addition, the Company develops immunotherapies to treat allergies against birch pollen and house dust mites, which are currently in the research stage.
About MannKind Corporation: MannKind Corporation (Nasdaq: MNKD) focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of therapeutic products for diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Its lead investigational product candidate, the Technosphere(R) Insulin System, is currently in phase 3 clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe to study its safety and efficacy in the treatment of diabetes.
About ImVisioN GmbH: ImVisioN GmbH is a German biotechnology company which focuses on the development of intralymphatically administered immunotherapeutics based on its proprietary MAT (Modular- Antigen-Transporter) technology to treat allergic diseases. Its lead product IVN201, an immunotherapeutic to treat allergies against cat dander is currently undergoing late stage preclinical development. ImVisioN expects to initiate a Phase I/II study in allergic patients later this year.