Phylogica secures EU patent for Phylomer libraries

Phylogica (ASX:PYC) has lined up a European patent covering its synthetic Phylomer peptide libraries, extending protection for its core intellectual property through to 2027.

The company has received a notice of allowance for its patent application with the European Patent Office.

The patent covers methods of designing synthetic Phylomer peptide libraries based on the structures they are predicted to form when isolated from the protein from which they are derived, as well as for maximising the diversity of the structures represented in these libraries.

Phylomers are peptides that bind to disease-associated target proteins to block interactions that promote diseases including cancer, autoimmune and heart disease.

Synthetic libraries select the best-quality peptides found in nature to reduce the number required to generate disease-specific binders, reducing the number of peptides required in a library from billions down to hundreds of thousands.

Synthetic libraries also have applications in biosensors to screen for diseases including diabetes, cancer or infections. Biosensors are expected to be critical to the future of personalised medicine.

Phylogica is currently collaborating with the University of Queensland on an ARC-funded project to develop biosensors using synthetic Phylomer libraries.

“This patent milestone is another major barrier to entry to potential competitors and ensures Phylogica has a stake hold in the rapidly growing fields of diagnostics and personalised medicine,” Phylogica CEO Dr Richard Hopkins said.

Phylogica (ASX:PYC) shares were trading unchanged at $0.016 as of around 1.30 pm on Wednesday.