Arecor Therapeutics plc

("Arecor" or the "Group")

ARECOR GRANTED KEY PATENT IN JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA TO PROTECT PROPRIETARY INSULIN PRODUCTS AT247 AND AT278

The granted patents further strengthen the Group's extensive patent portfolio protecting its proprietary Arestat™ technology and diabetes product portfolio

Cambridge, UK, 22 November 2022: Arecor Therapeutics plc (AIM: AREC), the biopharmaceutical group advancing today's therapies to enable healthier lives, is pleased to announce that the Japan Patent Office has granted a patent (JP7145849) protecting novel formulations of the Group's proprietary insulin products, AT247 and AT278. The same patent has also been granted in South Korea.

Dr Jan Jezek, Chief Scientific Officer at Arecor, commented: "Enabled by our Arestat^TM technology platform we have two proprietary insulin product candidates within clinical development based on novel formulations of existing insulin that have the potential to bring significant patients to people living with diabetes.  We have demonstrated in Phase I clinical studies that we have both an ultra-rapid acting insulin (AT247) with the potential to enable an artificial pancreas system which would be transformative for patients, as well as an ultra-concentrated ultra-rapid acting insulin (AT278) which has the potential to become the gold standard insulin for the growing population of people with diabetes with high daily insulin needs. With these very promising profiles, we will be looking to gain market share within the existing >$6bn prandial global insulin market and, as such, intellectual property protection of AT247 and AT278 is critical.  The grant of this key patent protecting AT247 and AT278 in Japan and South Korea, following on from the US patent granted earlier this year within our insulin IP portfolio, marks an important milestone in our comprehensive IP strategy as we continue to maximise the IP protection for our insulin products." 

The Arestat™ technology enables superior product profiles across a broad range of pharmaceuticals. Arecor leverages the technology to develop its own portfolio of superior proprietary products in diabetes and other indications.  In addition, Arecor partners with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to deliver enhanced formulations of their therapeutic products under a technology licensing model.

Arecor has invested in building a strong patent portfolio to protect the Arestat™ technology platform and the proprietary pipeline products. The Group's intellectual property (IP) portfolio currently comprises 36 patent families, including >50 granted patents in Europe, the US and in other key territories.  As part of this strategy, Arecor has robust IP that protects the novel compositions of AT247 and AT278, as well as their specific properties and methods of use. Arecor's strategy is to generate a fortress of both narrow and broad interrelated IP rights that cover the key features of these products. The grant of these patents marks an important milestone within the Group's comprehensive proprietary insulin product IP strategy.   

-ENDS-

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Notes to Editors

About AT247

AT247 is Arecor's ultra-rapid insulin that has been demonstrated in Phase I clinical studies to accelerate significantly insulin absorption post injection, and thus enable more effective management of blood glucose levels for people living with diabetes, particularly around difficult to manage mealtimes.  Such ultra-rapid acting insulin may facilitate an automated insulin delivery via a fully closed loop artificial pancreas, a potentially life changing treatment option for people living with diabetes.

About AT278

AT278 is an ultra-concentrated (500 U/mL) novel formulation of insulin that has been designed to accelerate the absorption of insulin post injection, even when delivered at a high concentration, and hence via a lower injection volume. Currently, there are no concentrated (>200 U/mL) rapid acting insulin products on the market and therefore AT278 has the potential to be the first such product available to patients. It has the potential to enable more effective management of blood glucose levels to the increasing number of people with diabetes with high daily insulin requirements (>200 units/day) whilst maintaining the convenience and compliance benefits of being able to deliver these high insulin doses in a lower injection volume via a single injection. In addition, a truly rapid acting concentrated insulin is also a critical step towards the advancement and miniaturisation of the next generation of insulin delivery devices.

About Arecor

Arecor Therapeutics plc is a globally focused biopharmaceutical company transforming patient care by bringing innovative medicines to market through the enhancement of existing therapeutic products. By applying our innovative proprietary formulation technology platform, Arestat™, we are developing an internal portfolio of proprietary products in diabetes and other indications, as well as working with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to deliver enhanced formulations of their therapeutic products. The Arestat™ platform is supported by an extensive patent portfolio. 

For further details please see our website, www.arecor.com