GTI Gains Patent Rights To Brain Tumor Tech

Genetic Therapy Inc of the USA has secured an exclusive worldwide license to a key patent covering the treatment of brain tumors using viral vectors carrying the HS-tk gene and ganciclovir. This approach relies on transfecting tumor cells with the gene, which codes for the viral enzyme thymidine kinase, and renders the cells susceptible to treatment with systemically-administered ganciclovir.

In effect, GTI has sublicensed the patent from Bristol-Myers Squibb, which had a prior agreement with the developers of the technology, who are based at Massachusetts General Hospital and filed the original patent application in the USA and European countries.

Phase I/II Trials Extended A multicenter Phase I/II trial of the gene therapy technology, which is being conducted by GTI and its US development partner Sandoz Pharma, has now been extended to include a second group of 15 patients with operable brain tumors. The trial protocol required that an antitumor response must be demonstrated in one or more of the first 15 enrollees in order to start testing the procedure in the second group of patients. GTI and Sandoz agreed to codevelop the approach in June 1994.