CytRx granted patent for molecular chaperone amplifier drug candidate

CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical research and development company engaged in the development of high-value human therapeutics, today announced that it has been granted a key patent by the European Patent Office that covers through 2024 the use of its orally available molecular chaperone amplifier drug candidate arimoclomol for the treatment or prevention of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). The granted patent (EP1696922) broadens CytRx’s existing coverage in the EU for arimoclomol that includes composition of matter claims.

“This expanded patent protection is noteworthy as we believe arimoclomol has significant potential in multiple progressive, chronic CNS disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s disease, which are increasing in prevalence with longer life expectancy. We are pursuing similar coverage in the U.S. with an active patent application pending,” said CytRx President and CEO Steven A. Kriegsman. “Broadened European patent coverage supports our activities to attract a biotechnology or pharmaceutical partner for the development of arimoclomol for all indications on a worldwide basis.”

Arimoclomol represents a novel approach to the treatment of CNS disorders by activating molecular chaperones that regulate the normal cellular protein repair pathway. Arimoclomol has the ability to detect proteins that are misfolded and to refold those proteins into the appropriate, non-toxic shape. Arimoclomol is currently being considered as a treatment for ALS and stroke recovery, and other diseases. In August 2009, CytRx reported that arimoclomol had exhibited both statistically significant neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effects in brain cells of animals induced with stroke, offering important insights into its mechanism of action.

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