ValiRx (LON:VAL) has received a UK patent for lead compound VAL201 for endometriosis or hormone induced abnormal cell growth in women.
Endometriosis is excessively debilitating, typically seen during a woman’s reproductive years and represents one of the major causes of female infertility.
Based on results in endometrial models, VAL201 has been shown to reduce abnormal endometrial growth, but leave other hormone-induced activities working normally.
Global endometriosis is expected to be a market worth US$1.3bn by 2017 with an estimated 170mln women affected globally, which ValiRx says may be an under-estimate.
VariRx recently received a European patent for its NAV3 biomarker. Earlier this week, the company also reported first results for VAL201 in its Phase I/II clinical trial.
Satu Vanikka, chief executive, said: "The market for treatments against endometriosis and hormone induced tumour growth is substantial and with significant unmet clinical need and I am seeing from a number of quarters increasing interest in endometriosis therapeutics.
"I believe new methods of treatment are increasingly being accepted for the benefit of all parties and the granting of this latest patent assists in this".