The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Allon Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company,  a patent that covers the use of the its neuroprotective technology platform in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy. This includes the company’s lead drug candidate, davunetide, and pipeline product AL-309 as treatments for peripheral neuropathy caused by anti-cancer drugs.

Dr Alistair Stewart, Allon’s vice president of commercial research, said the company’s research has shown that its drug candidates are active in preclinical models of peripheral neuropathy, including neurotoxicity and neuropathic pain associated with anti-cancer therapy. “These data lead us to conclude that AL-309 may have the potential to prevent or reduce neurotoxicity when administered in combination with anti-cancer agents known to  cause peripheral neurotoxicity and neuropathic pain,” Stewart said.

Allon previously presented preclinical data at a Society for Neurosciences meeting that showed the activity of AL-309 in chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. AL-309, administered in combination with oxaliplatin (an anti-cancer agent) reduced pain symptoms in a model of peripheral neuropathy.

The Society for Neurosciences, publisher of the Journal of Neuroscience, is an organization of more than 40,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system. The society is based in Washington, D.C.

“The granting of this US patent shows Allon’s commitment to building comprehensive intellectual property covering its technology in a variety of settings, including disease prevention,” Stewart said. This new US patent strengthens Allon’s intellectual property estate which includes 15 patent families, 62 issued patents and over 30 pending applications worldwide.

Peripheral neuropathy and neuropathic pain can result from a variety of medical conditions, such as diabetes; or from the side-effects of drug treatments, such as cancer chemotherapy. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by damage to peripheral nerves that detect touch and painful stimuli. Symptoms include tingling, hypersensitivity to light touch or painful stimuli and chronic pain. These sensory problems can also proceed to numbness and loss of sensitivity. Common qualities of the painful neuropathy include burning or coldness, “pins and needles” sensations, numbness and itching. Global drug sales for neuropathic pain will reach an estimated $3 billion in 2012.