ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a clinical-stage, immunology focused biopharmaceutical company, today announced it has received a favourable patentability opinion from the European Patent Office (EPO).
The EPO are acting as the International Examiner on a polymorph patent application for farudodstat which, if granted in the national stages, will extend effective patent protection for farudodstat until at least 2043.
Farudodstat is a potent, oral dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitor with the potential to be a first-in-class treatment option for alopecia areata (AA).
ASLAN is currently conducting a Phase 2a proof-of-concept trial in AA (the “FAST-AA Study”) and an interim readout from the study is expected mid-2024.
“We are very pleased to have received a positive preliminary opinion from the EPO on the Composition of Matter patent application for farudodstat, and recognition that all of our claims were novel and inventive. If granted in the national stages, the new patent will extend the patent protection on farudodstat until at least 2043. With so few treatment options available to alopecia areata patients, our ambition is to bring a safe and effective treatment option to patients,” said Dr Carl Firth, Chief Executive Officer, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals.