Roquefort Therapeutics PLC (LSE:ROQ, OTCQB:ROQAF) has passed a significant milestone with the European Patent Office, which granted a patent for its Mesodermal Killer (MK) cell therapy.
This intellectual property protection covers 39 countries, including the UK and the EU, and solidifies the company’s position in the rapidly growing field of cell-based immunotherapy.
Roquefort's MK cells are designed as an off-the-shelf cellular medicine, offering a promising new avenue in immunotherapy.
Early pre-clinical testing has shown that MK cells can effectively activate NK cells, resulting in up to a two-fold increase in cytotoxicity compared to NK cells used alone. These preliminary results suggest significant potential for MK cells in treating challenging diseases within immunology and oncology.
Looking ahead, the company plans to advance its MK cell programme through in vivo studies, aiming to demonstrate the effectiveness of MK cells in activating NK cells for high-value cancer and immunology treatments. These studies are expected to pave the way for clinical trials, marking a key inflexion point in the programme’s development.
Beyond the MK cell programme, Roquefort Therapeutics is progressing its out-licensing strategy. The company is in ongoing discussions with PDC FZ-LLC to finalise the out-licensing of its Midkine antibody portfolio and is actively seeking a deal with big pharma for its STAT-6 siRNA programme.
Additional in vitro experiments in an immunology context are nearing completion, with the company optimistic that positive results will enhance the programme’s attractiveness to potential licensees. Further updates are expected as these initiatives move forward.
"The granting of this European patent for MK cell therapy highlights both the security of our foundational IP in confirming the novelty of the MK cells and the commercial potential of MK cells in immunology and oncology markets," said CEO Ajan Reginald.
"These markets are highly attractive to both big pharma and to sophisticated biotech investors, recently highlighted by Artiva's oversubscribed IPO in July 2024."
Artiva Biotherapeutics, a specialist in natural killer cells, a type of immune cell that helps the body fight infections and cancer, upsized its offering to $167 million.