Broad patent covers oncolytic virus therapies.(Brief Article)

2002 OCT 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cell Genesys, Inc., (CEGE) announced that it has been issued a broad patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,432,700) that includes specific composition of matter claims pertaining to the company's proprietary oncolytic virus therapies which comprise adenoviruses engineered to replicate preferentially in and destroy cancer cells.

The patent covers adenovirus-derived oncolytic viruses that are genetically engineered to have at least two different, cell type-specific gene switches referred to as transcriptional regulatory elements (TREs), elements that serve a key role in restricting viral replication to certain, desired cell types.

"We are pleased to have been issued this broad patent which further strengthens our intellectual property position around our oncolytic virus therapy technologies," stated Peter K. Working, PhD, senior vice president of research and development of Cell Genesys. "Cell Genesys' patent portfolio - the largest in gene therapy - now includes more than 330 issued or granted patents relating to each of our three product platforms, GVAX cancer vaccines, oncolytic virus therapies and gene therapies, as well as approximately 390 pending patent applications."

Cell type-specific TREs control the expression of a gene essential for viral replication, limiting viral replication to cell types in which the TRE can function. The claims of this newly issued patent cover adenovirus-derived oncolytic viruses that have at least two different, cell type-specific TREs. Oncolytic viruses engineered to have two or more distinct TREs may potentially result in enhanced, preferential killing of cancer cells, leaving normal, healthy cells largely unharmed.

This patent also includes claims to multiple TREs associated with specific types of cancer ...