The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued new patent covering OXiGENE benzosuberene-based compounds and methods of using them in tubulin polymerization inhibition.
The patent protects benzosuberene-based compounds including the analogues that are currently in preclinical development such as KGP18 and KGP156.
OXiGENE chief executive officer Peter Langecker said issuance of the patent covering benzosuberenes enhances the company's value of the anticancer portfolio for potential pharmaceutical partners and investors.
"We believe that this exciting new class of compounds has the potential to enhance treatment options for oncologists and patients with cancer. This work also demonstrates the continued productivity of our collaboration with Baylor University," Langecker added.
Benzosuberenes works by inhibiting tubulin assembly at the colchicine binding site thereby displaying potent anti-proliferative activity.
Inhibition of tubulin polymerization will reduce blood flow to a tumor or slows down or stops reverse progression of a tumor.
KGP18 and KGP156 display sub-antiproliferative activity against a varied human cancer cell lines under lab conditions.
The compounds also demonstrated disruption in capillary-like networks of endothelial cells in vitro and stimulation of tumor blood flow reduction in human tumor xenografts in mice.
