Genta Incorporated announced that the European Patent Office intends to grant two key patents related to the company's intellectual property position on Genasense (oblimersen sodium) Injection. The company has proceeded with grant formalities and validation of the patents. Corresponding patents and applications have issued or are pending worldwide. Together, the patents will provide protection for compositions, sequences, and pharmaceutical uses of Genasense and related compounds that attack Bcl-2, the molecular target of Genasense action.

'Regulation of Bcl-2 gene expression' (EP Publication No. 1584682(A1); Inventor: Reed) covers claims for various compositions and sequence chemistries including Genasense, use of the sequences in pharmaceutical applications such as gene regulation by antisense and treatment of cancer, and combinations of such agents with multiple other therapeutic drugs to enhance anticancer activity in human subjects.

'Methods of treatment of a Bcl-2 disorder using Bcl-2 antisense oligomers' (EP Publication No. 1313514(A2); Inventors: Warrell et al.) claims compositions and uses of Bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotides such as Genasense over various dosing ranges and by multiple routes of administration that are known to be clinically active in patients with cancer.

"Genta's patent estate related to Genasense is extensive, we have detailed plans for securing rapid approval in Europe with positive data this Fall," said Dr Raymond P Warrell, Genta's chief executive officer. "The majority of patients enrolled into the Agenda trial, a phase-3 trial of Genasense in melanoma that completed accrual earlier this month, originated from Europe. The extended market protection offered by these patents comes at an especially favourable time in the product's lifecycle."

Genasense inhibits production of Bcl-2, a protein made by cancer cells that is thought to block chemotherapy-induced apoptosis (programmed cell death). By reducing the amount of Bcl-2 in cancer cells, Genasense may enhance the effectiveness of current anticancer treatment. Genta is pursuing a broad clinical development program with Genasense evaluating its potential to treat various forms of cancer.

Genta Incorporated is a biopharmaceutical company with a diversified product portfolio that is focused on delivering innovative products for the treatment of patients with cancer.