Aclaris Therapeutics Announces Issuance of a Patent Covering the use of Ruxolitinib and its Deuterated Forms to Treat Alopeci...
April 24 2019 - 7:00AM
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACRS), a physician-led
biopharmaceutical company focused on immuno-inflammatory and
dermatological diseases, today announced that the United States
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued U.S. Patent No.
10,265,258 covering methods of treating alopecia areata (AA) using
ruxolitinib or isotopic forms of ruxolitinib. This newly issued
patent is the latest in a series of patents granted by the USPTO
which are exclusively licensed to Aclaris by The Trustees of
Columbia University in the City of New York in connection with
Aclaris’ janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor program for hair loss
disorders. This IP arose out of the novel breakthrough research
conducted by Dr. Angela Christiano and her team at Columbia
University.
The claims in this issued patent cover the use of an effective
amount of isotopic forms of ruxolitinib, including deuterated
ruxolitinib, to treat AA. Concert Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is
currently conducting Phase 2 trials for moderate-to-severe AA for
its investigational drug, CTP-543, a deuterated form of
ruxolitinib. Recently, in an inter partes review, the Patent Trial
and Appeal Board ruled in favor of Incyte Corporation (which
currently markets ruxolitinib under the tradename JAKAFI®
(ruxolitinib tablets) for the treatment of polycythemia vera and
myelofibrosis) regarding the invalidity of the composition of
matter claims covering CTP-543 in Concert’s U.S. Patent No.
9,249,149. Concert has announced that it plans to appeal this
decision.
“We are extremely pleased with the continued expansion of
the patent portfolio that we exclusively licensed from Columbia
University,” said Dr. Neal Walker, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Aclaris. “We believe access to this patent
portfolio is necessary for anyone intending to commercialize
ruxolitinib, deuterated ruxolitinib, and other JAK inhibitors to
treat AA. We have spent considerable resources in licensing and
prosecuting our JAK inhibitor patent portfolio and we intend to
actively pursue opportunities provided to us by our patent rights
covering the use of certain JAK inhibitors for the treatment of
AA.”
Aclaris’ JAK inhibitor patent portfolio, exclusively licensed
from Columbia University, also includes additional issued patents
in the U.S. covering the use of ruxolitinib, tofacitinib,
baricitinib, and decernotinib for the treatment of AA, androgenetic
alopecia (AGA), and other hair loss disorders. Additional related
patents have issued in Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
About Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. is a physician-led biopharmaceutical
company committed to addressing the needs of people with
immuno-inflammatory and dermatological diseases who lack
satisfactory treatment options. The company’s diverse and
multi-stage portfolio includes two FDA-approved medicines, one
late-stage investigational medicine, and a pipeline powered by a
robust R&D engine exploring protein kinase regulation. Aclaris
Therapeutics’ active development programs focus on areas where
significant treatment gaps exist, such as common warts, alopecia
areata, and vitiligo. For additional information, please visit
www.aclaristx.com and follow Aclaris on LinkedIn or Twitter
@aclaristx.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not
describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements
as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as
"believe", "expect", "may", "plan," "potential," "will," and
similar expressions, and are based on Aclaris' current beliefs and
expectations. These forward-looking statements include expectations
regarding the breadth and scope of our JAK Inhibitor patent
portfolio. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
reflected in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that may
cause actual results to differ materially include uncertainties
inherent in the conduct of clinical trials, Aclaris' reliance on
third parties over which it may not always have full control, and
other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk
Factors section of Aclaris' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2018, and other filings Aclaris makes with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These
documents are available under the "SEC filings” section of the
Investors page of Aclaris' website at http://www.aclaristx.com. Any
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press
release and are based on information available to Aclaris as of the
date of this release, and Aclaris assumes no obligation to, and
does not intend to, update any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Aclaris ContactMichael Tung, M.D.Senior Vice
President Corporate Strategy/Investor
Relations484-329-2140mtung@aclaristx.com
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