Intention to grant notice - EU patent for SDC-1802

Sareum Holdings plc

("Sareum" or the "Company")

Sareum receives 'Intention to Grant' Notification from the European Patent Office for its TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor SDC-1802

Cambridge, UK, 15 December 2021 - Sareum Holdings plc (AIM: SAR), the specialist drug development company delivering targeted small molecule therapeutics to improve the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, announces that the European Patent Office has issued an Intention to Grant notice for a patent in respect of an invention associated with Sareum's proprietary SDC-1802 TYK2/JAK1 Kinase Inhibitor Programme.

The patent (EPO Patent Application no. 17787186.0) will protect the SDC-1802 molecule and pharmaceutical preparations thereof as a therapeutic to treat TYK2-dependent T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL - a cancer of a particular type of white blood cell called a T lymphocyte) by inhibiting TYK2 kinase. This programme is in preclinical development.

The Company expects that the patent will be formally granted within four months, subject to certain formalities being completed.

Sareum's CSO, Dr John Reader, commented:

"Our aim is to build broad robust patent protection for our proprietary TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor candidates as they advance through their respective development programmes, to ensure that Sareum retains full value in these programmes as part of its business development discussions. We are pleased therefore to receive this 'Intention to Grant' notice from EPO around our patent application for SDC-1802 as a potential treatment for T-ALL. We expect to complete the formalities that would lead to a full grant of this patent in due course."

For further information, please contact: 

About Sareum

Sareum is a specialist drug development company delivering targeted small molecule therapeutics to improve the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The Company aims to generate value through licensing its candidates to international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies at the preclinical or early clinical trials stage.

Sareum is advancing internal programmes focused on distinct dual tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) / Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitors through preclinical development as therapies for autoimmune diseases, including the 'cytokine storm' immune system overreaction to Covid-19 and other viral infections, (SDC-1801) and cancer immunotherapy (SDC-1802).

Sareum also has an economic interest in SRA737, a clinical-stage oral, selective Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitor that targets cancer cell replication and DNA damage repair mechanisms. Preliminary Phase 2 and comprehensive preclinical data suggest SRA737 may have broad application in combination with other oncology and immune-oncology drugs in genetically defined patients.

SRA737 was discovered and initially developed by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research in collaboration with Sareum, and with funding from Sareum and Cancer Research UK. SRA737 was licensed by CRT Pioneer Fund (CPF) to Sierra Oncology Inc. Sierra continues to explore options that would enable the development of SRA737 to advance.

Sareum Holdings plc is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, trading under the ticker SAR. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.sareum.com 

- Ends -