A potentially powerful revenue driver for the Gothenburg-based immuno-oncology company Elicera Therapeutics is its proprietary platform technology iTANK (Immunotherapies Activated with NAP for efficient Killing). With the help of iTANK, Elicera has developed three of its four drug candidates – the two CAR T-cell therapies ELC-301 and ELC-401, and the oncolytic virus ELC-201.
The strength of iTANK is that it can arm CAR T cells with immune-activating properties to optimize their efficacy. This makes it tailor-made to address tumor antigen heterogeneity and a hostile tumor microenvironment – two major challenges for current CAR T cell therapies in the treatment of solid tumors.
Patent approval in the EU
On July 11, Elicera received a message ("Notice of Allowance") from the European Patent Office EPO for its patent application regarding the use of iTANK technology in CAR T-cell therapies. This means that the EPO intends to grant the patent application after certain formal steps have been completed.
This confirmation of patentability is important because it gives Elicera legal protection and exclusivity to iTANK and its commercialization opportunities until 2036. In the long run, it can help attract investors, attract new collaborations, partnerships, secure licensing agreements and, not least, generate revenue.
Additionally, the announcement demonstrates the company's ability to protect its intellectual property rights, increasing the likelihood of securing funding for R&D, clinical trials and a further broadened pipeline. Potential partners and investors are likely to be more likely to support a company with strong IP protection as it reduces risk and increases the potential for return on investment.
In a comment to BioStock, he says Jamal El-Mosleh, CEO of Elicera Therapeutics:
»I am very pleased with this announcement as it strengthens the protection around one of our key assets. Our method of arming therapies with immune-stimulating properties is unique as it can be used universally to arm any CAR T-cell therapy. The patent therefore represents an important step in upcoming and ongoing partner discussions around iTANK«