Biotechnology company GeoVax Labs has expanded its intellectual property portfolio with a newly allowed patent that outlines an innovative approach to treating solid tumors. The patent covers a triple-combination therapeutic strategy targeting multiple cancer types, including glioblastoma, breast, prostate, head and neck, glioma, and lung cancers.
The patented method involves three key steps: direct intratumoral administration of an adenoviral vector encoding purine nucleoside phosphorylase, local administration of a prodrug called fludarabine phosphate, and subsequent radiation therapy. This approach aims to generate targeted cytotoxic activity within tumor microenvironments while minimizing systemic side effects.
The new patent claim reinforces GeoVax's Gedeptin platform, which was previously licensed from PNP Therapeutics and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. According to David Dodd, GeoVax's Chairman and CEO, the patent establishes a critical foundation for future therapeutic developments, particularly for challenging-to-treat cancers.
With an intellectual property estate comprising over 135 granted or pending patent applications across 23 distinct patent families, GeoVax is positioning itself as a significant player in targeted cancer therapies. The company has already completed a Phase 1/2a study as a monotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer and is preparing to launch a Phase 2 trial combining Gedeptin with an Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor.
This patent represents a potentially significant advancement in cancer treatment, offering a more precise and potentially less toxic approach to targeting solid tumors. By enabling localized cytotoxicity and showing potential synergy with existing immunotherapies, the method could open new avenues for more effective cancer interventions.
