RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage drug development company focused on tissue protection, repair and regeneration, announced that the European Patent Office (EPO) has notified the company that it intends to grant a patent covering the "Methods of Treating or Preventing Tissue Damage Caused by Increased Blood Flow."

The patent will cover protection, treatment, inhibition or reduction of damaged of tissue due to the increase of blood flow such as can occur when opening a blocked artery in the heart, also known as reperfusion injury, or in the central nervous system, as in the case of the treatment of certain types of stroke.  The patent will also cover Tß4 fragments and analogues and may be used with or without other agents, devices or procedures during treatment.  The patent expires in 2027.

"This patent was originally conceived based on our experiences with Tß4 in successfully treating animals following heart attacks and stroke. These studies provide the scientific foundation for the use of Tß4 in the treatment of patients with blocked cardiac and brain vessels who often suffer additional injury when the vessels are opened back up and blood rushed back to the injured site.  We are pleased this patent will be granted in Europe and believe it significantly enhances our proprietary position in this area," stated Dr. Allan L. Goldstein, RegeneRx's Chairman and Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine.