Ocean Biomedical (OCEA) announces patent award for novel cancer immunotherapy treatment

Biopharma company Ocean Biomedical (NASDAQ: OCEA) on Tuesday said its scientific co-founder Dr. Jack Elias has been issued a broad patent for his cancer immunotherapy discovery related to reversing immune system suppression by binding chitinase 3-like-1 (CHi3L1) polypeptides with the company’s proprietary immunoglobulin antibody. Studies have revealed that this process suppresses primary and metastatic tumor growth in multiple animal models and has potential use in multiple forms of visceral cancers.

Commenting on the patent award, Dr. Elias said, “This pathway discovery is an unprecedented leap forward, because if you control CHi3L1, you don’t just control one anti-cancer pathway, you simultaneously control many anti-cancer pathways. We are making discoveries that we believe will drive cancer research, and eventually treatment and patient outcomes, forward.”

Broad Application

The patent was granted for prostate cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, kidney cancer, breast cancer, glioblastoma, melanoma, and lung cancer. It broadens protection around the company’s platform of first-in-class anti-CHi3L1 therapeutic immunotherapy candidates, based on the discovery by Dr. Elias that CHi3L1 is a “master regulator” of tumor growth in multiple visceral cancers. The latest claims dovetail issued patents with claims coverage focused on the composition of matter of monoclonal antibodies targeting and inhibiting CHi3L1.

“These discoveries have the potential to save thousands of lives of people affected not just by lung metastasis, and melanoma, but also glioblastoma and other forms of cancer,” said Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria, Ocean Biomedical’s co-founder and Executive Chairman.

Unique Oncology Platform

The monoclonal antibody developed by the company is one component of a unique oncology platform that is building multiple approaches to activating natural anticancer immune responses by suppressing CHi3L1. It has the potential for broad application.

Elizabeth Ng, the company’s chief executive officer, said, “We are excited to see Dr. Elias’ work receive this important patent, and we are working on the systematic steps needed to progress the anti-CHi3L1 antibodies into the clinic to potentially become impactful new cancer therapeutics.”

Ocean Biomedical, which works with research universities and medical centers for developing and commercializing their discoveries, is currently developing five promising discoveries that have the potential to achieve life-changing outcomes in lung cancer, brain cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, and the prevention and treatment of malaria.