Neogenix Oncology announced today that it has filed a patent application with the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) for the NPC-1C antigen. This antigen appears to be tumor specific for pancreatic and colorectal tumors. "There is an important need to identify new targets for developing diagnostic tools and novel therapies for life-threatening illnesses, especially pancreatic cancer where very few treatment options exist. Furthermore, developing a treatment that would target the cancer specifically and spare healthy organs would represent a significant advancement in the treatment of this disease," said Neogenix President and Chief Executive Officer, Philip M. Arlen, MD.
The USPT0 has issued a patent for the NPC-1C monoclonal antibody and a related divisional patent was granted with respect to the genes encoding the novel molecular aspects of NPC-1C. A clinical study to establish NPC-1C and other proprietary antibodies as a serum diagnostic for pancreatic and colorectal cancers began in December 2008, and is currently underway. In addition, a multicenter Phase I therapeutic trial began in December 2009 to evaluate the the clinical safety of the NPC-1C antibody in patients with metastatic pancreatic and colorectal cancer.
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