New Patent Awarded in Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplants
There has been an interesting award of a patent today in relation to treatment of patients in need of bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. Chemokine Therapeutics Corp. (OTC-BB: CHKT) has announced they received this patent. The company is a micro-cap biotechnology company developing chemokine-based therapies to treat cancer, blood disorders and vascular diseases.
While all patents do add value in theory, we do caution that patents do not always translate to instant or near-term revenues (outside of milestones from partners) for small biotech companies.
But patent #7,378,098 is an interesting one in that it pertains to in-need-of bone marrow patients and stem cells. Both are huge growth areas for the companies that can score a win in them. The company noted that this strengthens the foundation for its work with its drug candidate CTCE-0214, for hematogical support; mobilization of stem cells and white blood cells into circulation, which is currently in Phase I development.
This patent, “CXC Chemokine Receptor 4 Agonist Peptides,” is said to be based on evidence that treatment with SDF-1 chemokine analog prevents reduction of normal bone marrow stem cells and restores white blood cells, which reduce susceptibility to infections in cancer patients following chemotherapy treatment.
We would note that this company raised almost $1 million back in the middle of June, and calling the company a micro-cap would be an understatement. As with all companies, we urge ANY AND ALL traders and investors to do double the amount of due diligence on companies they are interested in the story of when it comes to micro-caps and OTC-BB stocks.
Jon Ogg
July 2, 2008
Pfizer & Ranbaxy Kiss & Make Up on Lipitor & Caduet Patents
Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Ranbaxy Laboraories of India have settled their Lipitor patent litigation. The companies have entered into an agreement to settle substantially all of their patent litigation worldwide involving Lipitor.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ranbaxy will have a license to sell generic versions of Lipitor and Caduet in the United States effective November 30, 2011. The lawsuits between Pfizer and Ranbaxy over Lipitor and Caduet will be dismissed in the specified countries and Ranbaxy will drop its contesting of the validity of Pfizer’s patents in the specified countries. The agreement provides a license for Ranbaxy to sell generic versions of Lipitor on varying dates in seven additional countries on top of the U.S.: Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Italy and Australia.
The settlement will also resolve patent litigation with Ranbaxy over Accupril in the United States and Viagra in Ecuador.
The patent infringement litigation between Pfizer and Ranbaxy relating to Lipitor will continue in five other European countries: Finland, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Romania.
Jon Ogg
June 18, 2008
