These grants support a global intellectual property estate broadly covering the Company’s biochemistry and delivery technologies with over 100 issued or allowed patents and over 90 pending U.S. and foreign patent applications.
"Marina Biotech continues to extend patent coverage for its nucleic acid delivery technologies in key commercial markets," stated J. Michael French, president & CEO of Marina Biotech.
"Looking broadly at our nucleic acid delivery capability, we believe we are the only company that has a delivery technology, SMARTICLES, in clinical development that is: (1) delivering both a single-stranded and double-stranded nucleic acid; (2) delivering to both the cell nucleus (ProNAi Therapeutics’ single-stranded DNA decoy) and cell cytoplasm (Mirna Therapeutics’ double-stranded microRNA mimic); and (3) delivering a lipid nanoparticle outside the liver, (i.e. tumors).
Further, we believe we are the only company that has two separate and distinct delivery technologies, SMARTICLES (lipid nanoparticle) and tkRNAi (engineered bacteria), in clinical development. Finally, we are the only company with an orally administered RNAi-based therapeutic in clinical development – the Company’s CEQ508 for the treatment of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Taken in its entirety, we believe our delivery platform is unparalleled within the sector and unequalled in clinical versatility. We expect these technologies to be instrumental in the rapid advancement of nucleic acid therapeutics treating rare diseases."
SMARTICLES are amphoteric liposomes composed of unique combinations of anionic and cationic lipids that work together to enable cell uptake and to provide serum stability and pH-triggered endosomal escape. SMARTICLES is the only technology delivering both single-stranded (PNT2258) and double-stranded (MRX34) nucleic acid payload in ongoing clinical trials conducted by licensees, ProNAi Therapeutics and Mirna Therapeutics, respectively.
The claims of Marina Biotech’s patent for licensed SMARTICLES delivery technology in Europe (Ser. No. 10734065.5) cover delivery technology based on SMARTICLES amphoteric liposomes adapted for the release of therapeutic cargos, including the Company’s RNA-based therapeutics having conformationally restricted nucleotides (CRN).