Molecular Health, a leading biomedical company, has been granted a patent in Europe entitled “Tissue Protective Erythropoietin Receptor”. This latest patent supports Molecular Health’s discovery that EPHB4 is a novel receptor for Erythropoietin (EPO), where EPHB4 binds to EPO and promotes tumour growth. EPO stimulates the production of red blood cells and is prescribed to treat anemia resulting from kidney failure or cancer treatment. Approximately 40 per cent of cancer patients have anemia, growing to nearly 90 per cent of cancer patients when being treated with chemotherapy.
Analyzing cancer patient outcomes and available molecular data, Molecular Health scientists identified this novel receptor by utilizing Molecular Health´s computational biomarker discovery platform. This platform enables Molecular Health to support treatment research and development by the biopharmaceutical industry.
EPO has been found to have notable adverse effects in some cases, including accelerated tumor growth and death. As a result, healthcare providers must receive special training prior to prescribing EPO, potentially limiting access and treatment effectiveness for their patients.
“Molecular Health’s latest patent has the opportunity to further address an unmet need in the treatment of millions of cancer patients suffering with anemia,” said Lutz Voelker, chief executive officer of Molecular Health.
The granting of this latest patent in Europe further develops the opportunity for alleviating treatment toxicities and improving the benefit of EPO therapy in cancer patients. Combined, Molecular Health´s multiple patents detail methods of determining whether a cancer patient is suitable for EPO therapy inter alia by identifying the level of expression of a novel erythropoietin receptor, EPHB4. Molecular Health also holds corresponding patents in the United States and Canada.
Molecular Health is exploring several commercialization channels for offering a predictive test based upon its patented methods.