Innogenetics' HCV tech granted US/EU patents

Belgium's Innogentics, a specialty diagnostics and vaccine development firm, says that it has received two crucial patents in the USA and European Union, which relate to its Hepatitis C virus protein technology. The rulings broadly protect a key component of the firm's HCV vaccine, namely the recombinant viral envelope proteins that the company is developing.

The European Patent Office's decision, which was initially the focus of opposition, is final and can no longer be the subject of appeals. The awarded patent, EP 0721505 covers the use of HCV envelope proteins in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In contrast, the patent issued by the US patent office, number 7,048,930, goes further in that it protects the general methods of recombinantly producing such proteins, as well as covering their use in diagnostics and therapeutics.

Currently, Innogenetics is utilizing its technology in the development of an HCV vaccine, which is in Phase IIb trials. The Ghent-headquartered firm added that it is also developing a hepatitis B vaccine that has recently entered Phase I clinical assessment.