The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted patent No. 8,232,262 to Ziopharm Oncology's palifosfamide (ZIO-201).
The patent covers palifosfamide compositions, formulations, methods of use and methods of manufacture, which now includes issued patents in the US, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and South Africa.
Palifosfamide is a DNA-targeted cancer treatment drug that bypasses drug resistance mediated by aldehyde dehydrogenase, an enzyme associated with cancer stem cells.
The company is evaluating palifosfamide in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled PICASSO Phase 3 study, as a first-line treatment for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma.
The company is also evaluating palifosfamide in a pivotal Phase 3 study in first-line metastatic small cell lung cancer.
Ziopharm executive vice president and chief legal officer Caesar Belbel said the issuance of the patent further strengthens the company's US patent position for palifosfamide, which already has composition of matter exclusivity through 2029.
"The further strengthening of our robust patent portfolio specifically for this compound is important to ZIOPHARM as we move forward with pivotal and other studies in soft tissue sarcoma, small cell lung cancer and other potential indications," Belbel added.
