ROCKVILLE, Md., April 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: RGRX) ("the Company" or "RegeneRx"), a clinical-stage drug development company focused on tissue protection, repair and regeneration, today announced that the European Patent Office (EPO) has notified the Company that it intends to grant a patent covering the "Methods of Treating or Preventing Tissue Damage Caused by Increased Blood Flow." The patent will cover protection, treatment, inhibition or reduction of damaged of tissue due to the increase of blood flow such as can occur when opening a blocked artery in the heart, also known as reperfusion injury, or in the central nervous system, as in the case of the treatment of certain types of stroke. The patent will also cover Tβ4 fragments and analogues and may be used with or without other agents, devices or procedures during treatment. The patent expires in 2027.
"This patent was originally conceived based on our experiences with Tβ4 in successfully treating animals following heart attacks and stroke. These studies provide the scientific foundation for the use of Tβ4 in the treatment of patients with blocked cardiac and brain vessels who often suffer additional injury when the vessels are opened back up and blood rushed back to the injured site. We are pleased this patent will be granted in Europe and believe it significantly enhances our proprietary position in this area," stated Dr. Allan L. Goldstein, RegeneRx's Chairman and Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine.
About RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (www.regenerx.com)
RegeneRx is focused on the development of novel therapeutic peptides, including Thymosin beta 4 and its constituent fragments, for tissue and organ protection, repair and regeneration. RegeneRx currently has three drug candidates in clinical development for ophthalmic, cardiac and dermal indications, three active strategic licensing agreements in the U.S., China, and Pan Asia (Korea, Japan, and Australia, among others), and has patents and patent applications covering its products in many countries throughout the world. RGN-259, the Company's Tβ4-based ophthalmic drug candidate, has been designated an orphan drug in the U.S. for the treatment of neurotrophic keratopathy (NK). In September 2015, RegeneRx, through its U.S joint venture, ReGenTree LLC, initiated a Phase 2/3 clinical trial in patients with dry eye syndrome and a Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with NK. The dry eye trial has been completed and results should be announced shortly. RGN-259 is also being developed in patients with dry eye syndrome in Asia through RegeneRx's two Asian partnerships. RGN-352, the Company's Tβ4-based injectable formulation, is a Phase 2-ready drug candidate designed to be administered systemically to prevent and restore tissue damage associated with acute events such as heart attacks, strokes, and other similar traumatic injuries. For additional information about RegeneRx please visit www.regenerx.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements made under the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that any issued patents or licenses held by the Company or patent applications filed by the Company, including this most recent patent in Europe, or any other country, or any current or future clinical trials will result in approved products or future value. Please view these and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including those identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and subsequent quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q, as well as other filings it makes with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements in this press release represent the Company's views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update this information, as a result of future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
SOURCE RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.