US Patent Allowance: SDC-1802 TYK2/JAK1 Inhibitor

SAREUM HOLDINGS PLC

("Sareum" or "the Company")

US Patent Allowance for Sareum's SDC-1802 TYK2/JAK1 Inhibitor

Cambridge, UK, 8 October 2020 - Sareum Holdings plc (AIM: SAR), the specialist drug development company delivering targeted small molecule therapeutics to improve the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for a patent in respect of an invention associated with Sareum's proprietary SDC-1802 TYK2/JAK1 Kinase Inhibitor Programme (the "SDC-1802 Programme"). This programme is in preclinical development and targets cancer and cancer immunotherapy.

The patent (US Patent Application no. 16/351,620) will protect the SDC-1802 molecule and pharmaceutical preparations thereof. Subject to certain formalities being completed, the Company expects that the patent will be granted within three months. Following the grant of this patent, Sareum will have approved patent protection in the US for its SDC-1802 Programme and the grant will complete the patent protection for this programme across all major territories. This follows similar patent protection being granted to the Company in Europe, announced on 10 November 2014, and in Japan and China, announced on 19 December 2017.

Sareum's CSO, Dr John Reader, commented:

"The granting of this patent in the US will complete the protection of the intellectual property for our proprietary SDC-1802 Programme across all major markets. The Board believes that the patent will enhance the value of its TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor programmes and the Company's negotiating position as it continues to engage in discussions with potential licence partners."

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation 596/2014.

For further information, please contact: 

Sareum Holdings plc

Tim Mitchell, CEO                                                             01223 497 700

Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated Adviser)

James Dance / Richard Tulloch                                      020 7409 3494

Hybridan LLP (Nominated Broker)

Claire Noyce / John Beresford-Peirse                           020 3764 2341

Citigate Dewe Rogerson (Financial PR)

Mark Swallow/ David Dible                                            020 7638 9571

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).

The Company's preclinical FLT3+Aurora inhibitor programme targeting haematological cancers is licensed to a China-based specialty pharma company.

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 is currently exploring options to obtain the funding or support necessary to advance the future development of SRA737.

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.