BURLINGTON, Mass - Dyax Corp. announced in a press release that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued two new patents related to DX-2930, an investigational fully human monoclonal antibody inhibitor of active plasma kallikrein. One patent, assigned US Patent No. 8,816,055, contains claims covering the specific sequence of DX-2930, and the other, assigned US Patent No. 8,822,653, contains claims covering monoclonal antibodies that bind to the active form of human plasma kallikrein and do not bind human pre-kallikrein. Both patents are expected to provide coverage for DX-2930 until at least 2032.

 

"These newly issued patents contain broad composition of matter claims which provide important long-term exclusivity for DX-2930, especially its binding properties to human plasma kallikrein, which we believe is a critical target in the treatment for hereditary angioedema (HAE)," said Gustav Christensen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dyax. "Collectively, they further validate Dyax's discovery capabilities and confer a unique and robust intellectual property estate surrounding DX-2930, enhancing its commercial potential."

 

Dyax, a biopharmaceutical company focused on HAE and other plasma-kallikrein-mediated disorders, is developing DX-2930 as a subcutaneous injection for prevention of HAE attacks.

 

 

DX-2930 is a novel, fully human monoclonal antibody inhibitor of active plasma kallikrein (pKal). Uncontrolled pKal activity leads to excessive generation of bradykinin, a vasodilator thought to be responsible for the localized swelling, inflammation and pain characteristically associated with HAE. Dyax is currently developing DX-2930 as a subcutaneous injection for the prevention of HAE attacks and expects to report data from a Phase 1b trial early in 2015.

 

 

HAE is a rare acute inflammatory condition characterized by episodes of severe, often painful swelling affecting the extremities, gastrointestinal tract, genitalia, and larynx. HAE is caused by low or dysfunctional levels of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH), a naturally occurring molecule that inhibits plasma kallikrein, a key mediator of inflammation, and other serine proteases in the blood. HAE is estimated to affect up to 1 in 50,000 individuals. Learn more at www.HAEHope.com.

 

 

Dyax is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel biotherapeutics for unmet medical needs. The Company currently markets KALBITOR® (ecallantide) for the treatment of acute attacks of HAE in patients 12 years of age and older. Dyax is also developing DX-2930 for the prophylactic treatment of HAE.

 

Both KALBITOR and DX-2930 were identified using Dyax's patented phage display technology. Dyax has broadly licensed this technology and has a portfolio of product candidates being developed by its licensees, which it refers to as the Licensing and Funded Research Portfolio (LFRP). The Company is eligible to receive future milestones and/or royalties dependent upon the development and commercialization of these candidates. In April 2014, Dyax's licensee Lilly received FDA approval for CYRAMZA™ (ramucirumab) as a single-agent treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer after prior chemotherapy, making this the first approved product from Dyax's LFRP.

 

For additional information about Dyax, please visit www.dyax.com.

 

For additional information about KALBITOR, including full prescribing information, please visit www.KALBITOR.com.