Cell Therapeutics granted U.S. patent for new class of small antitubulin agents to fight cancer

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., April 10 - Cell Therapeutics, Inc. said the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted a patent for its new class of small-molecule antitubulin agents with potent antiproliferative and tumor-killing activity.

The patent, owned by Cell Therapeutics's European subsidiary, Cell Therapeutics Europe Srl, covers analogs of CT-45099 and expires in April 2022. CT-45099 is protected by a U.S. and European patent granted to Cell Therapeutics Europe, according to a news release.

Cell Therapeutics said CT-45099 is the first lead optimized agent from this class of compounds to advance into preclinical testing. This class of agents blocks tubulin assembly and destabilizes microtubules during cell mitosis, anti-tumor activity that is distinct from taxane-based cancer drugs.

CT-45099 and its analogs inhibit in vitro the growth of colon, lung, gastric and prostate cancer cell lines, including cancer cells resistant to paclitaxel or doxorubicin treatment, the release stated.

"This patent, and the new class of agents covered within, highlights our ability to take a well-known target in cancer drug development, like tubulin, and apply our medicinal chemistry expertise to develop a novel class of anti-cancer agents that may possess superior anti-tumor activity over commonly used tubulin-stabilizing chemotherapy drugs," managing director of Cell Therapeutics Europe Alberto Bernareggi said in the release.

Cell Therapeutics is a Seattle-based biopharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of oncology products.

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