Patent update

Another patent application was made public on 29 August 2019. Four are now visible, of which three have reached the Examination stage.

These applications all revolve around the dissolution of idronoxil in molten form in the suppository base, a step that was deemed to be inventive in earlier correspondence. There will be the usual back-and-forth between Noxopharm's patent attorney and the USPTO Examiner, but it looks like everything is on track.

A fifth application has been lodged in Australia, but unfortunately will not be visible internationally for some time because of the steps it needs to go through first. I say 'unfortunately' because, in my opinion, this application has monumental implications.

IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY THERAPY is likely to describe an inventive method by which STING can be activated. Activation of STING has the potential to turn COLD tumours into HOT tumours by utilising dormant immune calls.

As Graham Kelly wrote on 2 July, STING is the next big thing in cancer therapy:

We believe we know of about 10 companies actively working in this field. Each is using a different way of activating STING. Whoever first comes up with an effective and safe way of doing this will have a very valuable piece of property, given the potential to be the means for the checkpoint inhibitors to meet their US$100-plus billion market size.

We believe that Noxopharm is potentially one of those 10 companies, and we have a high degree of confidence in our position.

You will be hearing a lot more about our STING program over the coming months.

Significantly, lodgement of the patent applications implies that Noxopharm has been able to reduce the concept to practice, an essential step that establishes the priority date of an invention.