Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced that the European Patent Office (EPO) has granted European Patent No. 2 049 109 B1, claiming certain combined uses of vosaroxin and cytarabine, at doses of 10-120 mg/m2 and 5-1500 mg/m2, respectively, for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia and acute myeloblastic leukemia. The patent further provides for combinations of vosaroxin and cytarabine with other therapies, such as radiation, or other chemotherapeutics, including anti-cancer agents, in hematologic disorders, whether administered simultaneously or sequentially.

Sunesis is proceeding to validate this patent in multiple EPO member states. The resulting national patents would expire in the third quarter of 2027, but could be eligible for supplementary patent term in EPO member states beyond this date. Related patent applications are pending in several countries, including the United States and Japan.

"This patent adds important value to a European commercial opportunity for vosaroxin, as it covers a wide range of its contemplated commercial use with cytarabine out to 2027," said Eric Bjerkholt, executive vice president, corporate development and finance of Sunesis. "Granting of this European patent is particularly timely, as we prepare to file a European Marketing Authorization Application for vosaroxin in combination with cytarabine in AML by year end. It also provides us with greater certainty in pursuing the full clinical and commercial potential of vosaroxin using various therapeutic combinations in AML and other hematologic malignancies."

Qinprezo (vosaroxin) is an anti-cancer quinolone derivative (AQD), a class of compounds that has not been used previously for the treatment of cancer. Preclinical data demonstrate that vosaroxin both intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, resulting in replication-dependent, site-selective DNA damage, G2 arrest and apoptosis. Both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Commission have granted orphan drug designation to vosaroxin for the treatment of AML. Additionally, vosaroxin has been granted fast track designation by the FDA for the potential treatment of relapsed or refractory AML in combination with cytarabine. Vosaroxin is an investigational drug that has not been approved for use in any jurisdiction.

The trademark name Qinprezo is conditionally accepted by the FDA and the EMA as the proprietary name for the vosaroxin drug product candidate.

Sunesis is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of new oncology therapeutics for the potential treatment of solid and hematologic cancers.