Poolbeg Pharma plc

Positive Conclusion Reached in Immunomodulator I Patent Opposition

Patent opposition hearing cancelled

29 September 2023 - Poolbeg Pharma (AIM: POLB, OTCQB: POLBF, 'Poolbeg' or the 'Company'), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company targeting diseases with a high unmet medical need, announces that further to its announcement on 19 September 2023, the oral opposition hearing scheduled by the European Patent Office ('EPO') relating to the challenge to the Company's European patent (Immunomodulator I), has been cancelled. This favourably concludes this matter with the patent maintained as granted.

The Immunomodulator I European patent was opposed by a third party in September 2021 and the opposition was subsequently withdrawn in September 2023. Following the opposition withdrawal, the EPO has now concluded that there is no need to proceed with the scheduled hearing, concluding this matter.

Jeremy Skillington, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Poolbeg Pharma, said: "I am delighted to share that the European Patent Office has decided against proceeding with the scheduled hearing, following the withdrawal of the patent opposition by a third party. We have always maintained confidence in the strength and validity of our patents and we are pleased to bring this matter to a close and look forward to continuing to strengthen our IP protection of this exciting molecule."

Footnote:

Immunomodulator I: Use of p38 MAPK inhibitors for the treatment of severe influenza

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About Poolbeg Pharma

Poolbeg Pharma specialises in the development of innovative medicines to address the unmet need in infectious and other prevalent diseases. Poolbeg Pharma has a disciplined portfolio approach to mitigate risk, accelerate drug development, and enhance investor returns. The Company simultaneously advances multiple programmes in cost-effective clinical trials, rapidly generating early human safety and efficacy data to enable early partnering / out-licensing, with the funds generated reinvested in the pipeline. Poolbeg Pharma also uses AI to interrogate human challenge trial data sets to quickly identify new targets and drugs, leading to faster development and greater commercial appeal.

The Company is targeting the growing infectious disease market. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious disease has become one of the fastest growing pharma markets and is expected to exceed $250bn by 2025. Through opportunistic identification of assets which complement Poolbeg Pharma's existing pipeline, the Company is progressing programmes in oncology and metabolic syndromes; adding disease areas with significant addressable markets.

With its initial assets from hVIVO plc, an industry leading infectious disease and human challenge trials business, Poolbeg Pharma has access to knowledge, experience, and clinical data from over 20 years of human challenge trials. The Company is using these insights to acquire new assets as well as reposition clinical stage products, reducing spend and risk. Amongst its portfolio of exciting assets, Poolbeg Pharma has a small molecule immunomodulator for severe influenza and other acute inflammatory conditions (POLB 001) which produces a highly significant reduction in p38 MAP kinase driven cytokines in a clinical setting; a first-in-class, intranasally administered RNA-based immunotherapy for respiratory virus infections (POLB 002); and a vaccine candidate for Melioidosis (POLB 003). The Company is progressing two Artificial Intelligence (AI) Programmes to add promising new assets to its pipeline as well as developing an Oral Vaccine Programme and an Oral Delivery Programme focussing on metabolic syndrome related diseases.  

For more information, please go to www.poolbegpharma.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn @PoolbegPharma.