Bionomics cancer-gene patents granted in United States, New Zealand

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., April 13 - Bionomics announced Thursday that its patent applications for the BNO69 cancer drug target and the BNO1 breast-cancer diagnostic marker have been granted in New Zealand and the United States, respectively.

These patents offer broad coverage for the use of the BNO69 and BNO1 genes and their respective protein sequences for a variety of applications, including medical diagnostics and therapies, the company said in a news release.

BNO69's patent is entitled "DNA Sequences for Human Angiogenesis Genes" and is identified by New Zealand patent number 531570.

BNO1's patent is entitled "Novel Gene BNO1 Mapping to Chromosome 16q24.3" and is identified by U.S. patent number 10,470,700.

Bionomics has demonstrated that BNO69 plays a key role in the process of angiogenesis - the development of new blood vessels, the release said.

Recently the strategy of "starving" tumors by inhibition of angiogenesis has become one of the most promising new methodologies for the treatment of cancer.

New Zealand is the first country to formally examine and approve Bionomics' application for a patent covering BNO69.

The patent is currently in national phase examination in a number of other countries including the United States, Australia and various counties in the European Union.

Genetic factors have been shown to be a significant contributor to the 1.2 million new cases of breast cancer diagnosed around the world each year, the release said.

The gene for BNO1 occurs in a region of the human genome that is commonly deleted in breast cancer patients which is thought to contain breast cancer tumor suppressor genes.

Independent published research has suggested that BNO1 is one of several gene markers of significance for determining the prognosis of early-stage breast cancer, the release said.

Headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, Bionomics discovers and develops therapeutics for cancer and diseases of the central nervous system.

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